A Forsaken Love
by Myra Mills
Summary: Regina married King Leopold and soon found out she is with child. A child that now ties her forever to a life she was forced into. The Kings child... or is it? What Regina does not realize is that her Happily ever after was right in front of her all along... will she see it before its too late or will she lose it forever?
1. Once Upon a Time

I do not claim to own anything from the show, Once Upon a Time (c), except the name Myra.

This is my first experience with fan fiction, my first time actually writing my stories and then posting them for anyone else to read beside myself.

The question that I found myself asking was _What if Regina had her happy ending, but did not realize it?. _I just thought that so many of us take things for granted, take people for granted and thus we lose out on the things that can make us truly happy.

These are short stories that deal with the same character. As I write and imagine many of these stories I find that I cannot make up my mind as to how I want the story to go, so I just write it all. So there may be different versions of the same chapters. I also challenge myself to try and keep the stories as close to the actual story line, with minimal changes.

I have omitted parts of the story that happen in the series for two reasons: 1. To avoid any sort of copyright infringement (Other than parts I do use... again I do not own anything) and 2. We know what happens in the series. It would be redundant and time consuming to write what we know has already happened.

Please Enjoy, leave feedback and comments. I would really like to know what you think.

Chapter 1

-Story Begins with Regina in the Castle after her wedding-

The Queen is sitting at her vanity, staring blankly at her reflection. It has been over a fortnight since the wedding. The Kingdom is in constant celebration it seems, never sleeping.

"It will end soon, become quite once more." Thought The Queen to herself, " Once it does, I can leave this place. Fake my death if I have to..."

"Regina, my dear" came The King's voice from behind her, "are you all right my love? You seem troubled."

King Leopold was as kind, generous, and goodhearted as any man could be. A man any women would be overjoyed to call Husband, just not Regina, for her heart belonged to another. Another, whom which was taken from her, whom was murdered, her Daniel. His heart ripped from his chest and crushed into ash right in front of her, dying in her arms. She will never forget that moment, that feeling of losing a part of yourself you can never to get back, or the one who was to blame, Snow White. Through this pain she forced a smile,

"I am fine. Tired is all. All the excitement and celebration, I only have so much energy my King." Regina said as she forced a small laugh.

The King stepped toward her and took her face in his hands. Gently caressing her jaw with as gentle of a touch as Regina had ever felt. This only made her more sad, for such a man deserved a women who loved him and could be happy with him, this was not Regina.

"My darling wife, the people celebrate for you, for us, and the Kingdom. For now it is whole again. A women as kind, caring, and wonderful as you are is a blessing for me, to my Snow White, and to, now, "Our" kingdom.

The mention of Snow White sent chills through her. Snow White was the reason why her Daniel was killed, if Snow White had not told her Mother, Cora, Regina and Daniel would have disappeared, never to be seen again, left to live the life they were meant to, together and happy.

"I know my dear, I am just not used to so much going on for this length of time. I am happy to have become your wife and step-mother to Snow. It is a great Honor." She smiled at the King

"Come my love, let us make our way to the Ballroom. I am dying to dance with my new wife" the King whispered to Regina as she swept a loose lock of hair from her face and wrapped it around her ear.

As time went by the Queen began to become physically ill. She could not explain it, she thought, perhaps it was her disgust of the little princess, that grew every day. One moment she would be fine and the next she would be bent over and very sick. Then after a month the Royal Physician confirmed Regina's darkest fear. She was with child. This put a damper upon the Queens plans. The King would be overjoyed, Snow would be beside herself with excitement, and the Kingdom... the kingdom would have non-stop celebrations again. Oh the noises, the smells, the chatter, Regina did not think she could stand it, but the King must be told.

Regina found the King in his study with all his advisers, Generals, Coin Keeper, as well as his Head Knight, The Knight in charge of the Kings personal Guard.

"Your Majesty? Might I have a word?" Regina asked, hesitantly and nervously

"My lords, would you forgive me and take your leave. I believe all this can be discussed more fully in the Morning." The King stated

The room was full of "Of course your Highness... Yes, your Majesty... I will have the proper papers ready for your signature tomorrow my King... Yes, your Majesty..."

Once all the lords had left the room and the Guards closed the doors the King looked at Regina and softly, and in a concerned manner asked " My dear, whatever is the matter?" The King stood and began making his way towards Regina, "You look positively ill. Are you ill?"

"No," Regina stated, " I am not ill."

"That is music to my ears my dear. now my love," The King said as he walked back to his desk, "what is that you wish to speak to me about?" The King asked, more at ease as he took a seat in his oversized feather stuffed leather seat, behind his hand carved, mahogany desk that was littered with papers, ink, quills, and varies books and ledgers. Regina realized that she may have picked a bad time to inform the King of her pregnancy. Good she thought, he should have his day thrown off, because she was also in a disarray.

"Your Majesty," She stammered, "I am with child..." She drew out her sentence, looking for his reaction

The King looked at her in bewilderment, letting the joyous news sink in more fully. Half a moment later King Leopold had the largest smile upon his face. He practically jumped to where Regina stood. Unable to contain the amount of Joy he felt.

" You're with child?!" He said aloud, "You're with child! Oh! Regina, you have made me so happy; The happiest man in the Kingdom. A CHILD!" The King exclaimed.

The King embraced Regina, picked her up, spun her around, and kissed her upon her lips. Laughing and smiling, repeating "We're having a baby!"

Regina could not help but to smile. She was taken aback by the sudden urge to smile.

The King ran to throw open the doors to his office. He bounded down the corridor in excitement, Regina could only imagine he was going to get Snow, so that they could tell her the wonderful news. But Regina did not feel the same excitement as the King did. This child has ruined all her plans. This child would mean that she would be stuck in a life she was forced into. She did not like that at all.

Of course Snow was beside herself with joy for Regina's entire pregnancy; never wanting to leave Regina's side for any reason. She would ask all sorts of questions and tell Regina about her future plans for the baby. Teaching it to go horseback riding, to swim, to draw, to run in the flowers, and many other things Regina just could no longer listen to.

Regina's bitterness and contempt for Snow was growing everyday, even more so now that the little urchin would not leave her side. Regina not only had to deal with a nagging, spoiled, little brat, but also the pains and discomfort that came with being pregnant. For eight long months, since Regina disclosed that she was with child, Regina look forward to those moments where she found herself alone. After a while Regina told the King that she did not want to bother him with any pregnancy related complaints and wants, as it would take him away from his duties as King, and preceded to retire to her own bedchambers. In reality she wanted time alone, away from everything.

Regina stood on the Balcony in her room, looking over the kingdom as the Sun set. This was the time where she felt Daniel was with her, the last moments of light were like him kissing her goodnight. The soft breeze that blanketed her with the cool crisp air of late evening was as if Daniel was holding her gently in his arms. She let the wind hold her for that fleeting moment, hoping for yet another breeze to come behind it. She closed her eyes, smiled, and whispered "I love you." Once the sun sank down below the horizon is when Regina retired, dreaming only of Daniel, and secretly wishing for something horrible to happen to Snow White.

On a crisp, cool, October evening, just as the sun was setting, Regina gave birth to a healthy and beautiful daughter. The girl screamed as she took her first breaths. The midwife wrapped her up quickly so that the child wold remain warm, and carefully walked over and tenderly placed the girl in Regina's arms. As soon as the child was in Regina's embrace the girl stopped crying and merely stared at Regina, as if nothing else existed. Regina looked down at the wrinkled and discolored child. She allowed herself one smile and only one smile. Unbeknownst to Regina, in that moment the bond between mother and child was made whole. Regina knew that this child was the lock onto her prison and would not allow herself to love this child. For how could one love something that keeps you locked up, unable to move, or to be truly happy and free?

The kingdom was beside itself. The King and Snow White could not subsume their bliss and liveliness; Snow hardly leaving Regina's side, helping in any way she could, always wanting to be near the baby, playing with the baby, asking so many questions to the wet-nurses and handmaids. All the while Regina rested, only doing anything with the babe unless it was absolutely necessary. She did not want to further any form or attachment with this child, she would not allow it.

And so Regina forsook the child, acting motherly only as necessary until the first part of her plan was complete. Then she could move forward and deal with the child if she got in her way. Regina would let nothing get in her way not even her own, forlorn daughter Myra.


	2. The death of a King and birth of a Queen

Myra awoke with a start. She could hear the commotion outside her door. She uncovered herself and slipped on her fur lined slip shoes to investigate. As she reached the door she heard two of the guards speaking.

"What is going on?!" asked one of the guards, breathlessly

"The King! The King has been murdered!" answered the other guard. Disbelieving the words as they left his lips.

Myra stepped away from the door, not wanting to believe the words that were just uttered. _DEAD? _She thought, "no, it cant be" she whispered "this is a dream, father is fine." she reassured herself.

Once she heard the guards hurry away, she quietly opened the bed chamber doors and stepped out into the corridor. This was not right seeing as she was still in her bed clothes. The corridor was empty, she took off at a run for her mothers room. Surely her mother would know what was going on.

She reached her mothers bed chamber and knocked. From somewhere within came a flat "Enter." Myra gently opened the door and peered in. Her mother was sitting at her vanity, brushing her long raven colored hair. Before Myra could enter fully, Snow White blew past her, pushing the door open fully, and ran into the room.

"What has happened?!" demanded Snow, in a commanding voice, a tone Myra had never heard from her sister before. For a girl of 16, Snow White was beyond her years, an old soul some said, but still youthful and playful. Myra knew that her sister would make a great ruler one day, just like their father, the people loved and cared for her. Myra walked up to stand just behind her sister.

The queen stroked the white ivory comb through her hair once more and slowly raised her head to look at the two of them in the mirror. She placed the comb on the vanity, every movement as deliberate as the last.

"The King is dead." She finally said. Flat and emotionless. "Murdered by Agrabahn vipers while he slept."

Snow stood there for a moment, not really comprehending what she had just heard. Myra felt the strength drain from her legs and her knees gave out. Falling to the ground, mouth open in pure disbelief.

"No, it cant be true" Whispered Myra to herself, "It cant be."

Snow took a step back and held her chest. She was breathy heavily, and then collapsed next to her sister. For the first time ever Snow was at a loss, she had no words, tears begain to form in her eyes

"Mother, how could this happen? Why would someone want to do this to father?" Myra asked her mother in desperation, through a now tear soaked face.

The queen stood and looked upon her pitiful daughter. A child of eight could never understand the complexities of what it meant to be in power. _So innocent and naive _the Queen thought, how lugubrious it was. Regina began walking towards them.

"Because, killing a King brings chaos and from chaos those that rise to bring order are given power." The Queen said coldly, "It is the order of things."

Snow and Myra looked at the Queen, how could she be so cruel? Myra leaned into Snow and began to breakdown into violent tears, Snow wrapped her arms around her little sister. Snow herself could see that her time for mourning was not at this moment. Snow gathered herself and looked to the Queen in rage.

"How can you be so cruel?" Snow asked, with fire in her eyes, "She is only a child and has just lost her father, she needs her mother now." Snow bravely informed the Queen.

Regina stared at Snow, unyielding and cold. _How dare she speak to me in that tone! _Regina thought. Regina scoffed and rolled her eyes as she turned to walk towards her balcony.

"Cruel?" She scoffed, as she looked over her shoulder as she began to walk away. "This is reality my dear Snow." Regina stated. "The sooner she understands that, that both of you understand that the world is not kind, the better off she will be. Its not all rainbows and butterflies as you both have brought up to believe. It's cruel and evil and dark. It will rip everything you have ever cared about out from under you and your left ragged and alone." Regina said as she stared off into the outside where the sun was slowly rising. Casting its warm glow upon the world as a new day began. She thought of her upbringing, her unrelentingly controlling mother Cora. How Cora had planned Regina's whole life. She seen now, that as much as Regina loved her father, he had made her weak. She seen now that emotions were a weakness, just as her mother had taught her. If she had accepted that sooner, maybe things would have been different. All Regina could think of now was her plan, her plan to rid herself of the existence of Snow White, to make her suffer as Regina had. It was her fault that Daniel was killed, the little brat. It was all Regina could do not to strangle the girl.

"The world may be cruel, but we must learn to see the good in it and to make it better." Snow continued in her commanding tone, barely holding her emotions together. She held Myra as she cried and knew she had to be strong for her sister sake since Regina was not of any help. "Myra will learn from this but she needs to be helped through it, to understand that bad things can happen but we can move on. Just as I did when my mother died."

"Good, then you can do it." Regina said shortly as she continued towards the balcony with not so much as a backwards glance. Regina could hear her forsaken daughter crying into Snows chest. It made her sick. Regina was quite proud of how easy it was to dismiss the child now that the King was gone. She no longer had to pretend to love her. Although on the fringe of her mind, just outside of her awareness, when she caught glimpses of the child, there was a tenderness. But once Regina became aware of it she squashed it, reminded herself that this child was the lock on the prison in which she had lived for the last eight years. Forever trapped like a caged animal, but now the King was dead, she would be crowned ruler of the kingdom and could do as she pleased. First on her list was phase two of her plan, to rid herself of the nuisance that was Snow White, forever.

Regina smiled to herself as she thought of how she was going to kill Snow White. Standing on the balcony as she allowed the rising sun to bathe her in its warmth. There she stood forgetting all around her, basking in the morning light, plotting her revenge.

Snow picked herself and her sister up, all the while looking at Regina, knowing that whatever else she said would fall on deaf ears. Myra took some convincing to stand up. She was still violently sobbing. Snow tried to comfort her. "Its going to be alright, there there kit." She softly whispered to her sister. She knew there was nothing she could do to comfort her. The loss of a parent was indescribable, all she could do was to hold her and helplessly watch as her sister simply fell apart. Snow knew that it would get easier, but also that she just needed to be there for little Myra.

Myra was beside herself. Everything seemed to happen so fast. She didn't remember Snow lifting her to her feet or walking her back to her room and tucking her into bed. She must have cried herself into exhaustion because she woke in the late afternoon, Snow by her side, holding her in a loving embrace. Myra felt the weight of her arms around her and was thankful for the sense of security it seemed to give her. She laid there quietly, thinking back to what had happened that morning. It all still seemed so surreal, her father was dead. Her eyes began to mositen and she quietly began to shed tears.

She was not sure how long she lie there, quielty weeping, when she felt Snow stir and clutch her more tightly to her. She felt the warmth of Snow's breath upon her ear as Snow whispered "I have you now, nothing bad will happen to you as long as I have you."

"I miss him too, it will get easier as time goes on, I promise" Myra turned to face her sister and looked up into her soft and kind brown eyes, that were now filling with tears. Myra wrapped her arms around her big sister and for a time they both cried, taking comfort in the other. Snow kissed her forehead and Myra nuzzled her face into Snows chest and they just lay there.

After a time a maid knocked, unsure as whether to enter or not. The maid peered into the room to see the two girls holding each other. She brought in soup, milk and tea, and some biscuits. "I thought perhaps you may be hungry, your Grace's" The maid said gingerly.

Snow looked up and looked to the maid and then to the tray of food.

"Thank you" she said

The maid bowed her head and then turned on heel to take her leave but before she left she turned to the girls, who were now beginning to sit up, and said "I am sorry for your loss, your Grace's." Snow replied with care "Thank you, it is a great loss for us all." With that the maid bowed once more and took her leave.

"Come now Kit, you need to eat something" Snow said to Myra. Myra threw off the covers and went over to the table the maid had left the tray. The way Snow said her nickname always made her laugh as it always reminded her of how she got it. When she was four she had wondered away from her sister and nursemaid. Apparently the castle was in an uproar as to where she had went to. She was lost for three hours, her father was beside himself thinking that he would soon hear of a ransom demand, but it was not to come. Snow had gone to the gardens to look and there she had found her little sister. Myra had found a littler of rabbits that had taken up residence in the garden, there she was taking a nap with the kits in the afternoon sun. Since that day Snow has called her Kit and it still makes her smile.

Myra eyed the contents and decided on a warm biscuit with a dab of honey. Her throat was still dry and her stomach yelled in protest. She felt nauseous, but still forced it down. Her sister was right she needed to eat something. Snow joined her, and picked up a bowl of soup and slowly began to eat. Both girls ate in silence. Snow stayed with Myra that night and for Myra it was a relief. She didn't think she would be able to sleep alone after the day she had had.

The whole kingdom was beside itself with grief. The King was dead, murdered by a man from a far away place for no reason. How could someone be so heartless and cold to kill a most beloved and gentle King? Snow White, was crushed. The man she loved most, looked up to, had died. Standing over his sarcophagus Snow was joined by her younger sister, Myra. Dresses in a simple black satin dress that hung to the floor, hiding her small feet. Snow looked at her sister, tears in her eyes. Myra said nothing as she approached the sarcophagus, looking only at where her father now lay. Myra looked to Snow, and then buried her face in her sisters chest and began to sob. Snow wrapped her arms around her sister and gently began to stroke her sister hair. He long brown hair that was usually worn in a loose braid with flowers of some sort that the girl had picked, was now in a tight bun with no decoration. Neither girl said anything, just held each other and cried.

Snow held Myra for a moment longer then Myra stepped away and placed her hand a top her fathers tomb.

"I miss him so much," Myra whispered. She stood there, not wanting to leave. She had never lost anyone before. She felt that at any moment her father would simply walk through the door and take her into his arms and never let her go; never leave her ever again. She turned toward her sister, made eye contact for a moment and then turned to walk away. To where she was not certain, anywhere where she could just... be. Snow knew how she felt. When she lost her mother she didn't want to talk to anyone, just wanted to be alone. Snow watched as her little sister walked toward the gardens, head hung low and arms holding one another as she quietly sobbed.

Myra absent mindedly headed towars the gardens. She walked in and around the lovely flowers and trees, Hardly paying attention to the beauty that was around her. There were birds perched over head chirping away and a small bunny that had wondered in and was now poking his little pink fuzzy nose out as the princess walked past. Myra was forever oblivious. She had so many things running through her head and nothing at all at the same time. She lost all sense of time and wondered aimlessly through the palace gardens.

Myra adored her father, he doted upon them both. Always making time to be with them and indulge them in their every wish. Never a cruel word, he let both of his little princess be little and play how they liked. Even if that meant playing out in the rain, catching frogs, and coming home muddy and dirty. If it made them happy, it made him happy. Mother on the other hand was not as kind. Myra loved her mother, more than anything but the love, Myra felt, was not in kind. Mother would never raise a hand to her or speak to her in a harsh manner but Myra knew that Mother was not as a mother should be.

Mother was in charge of Myra's education and refinement, but Myra never really seen her. Unless of course she had played a trick on her Master*. Mother kept her distance for the most part. Often times Myra would find times when she just wanted her mother to hold her and tell her everything was going to be alright. If she was afraid at night, or sick. Although Myra loved her father, there were just times when a mothers love was needed more.

When she did finally return and looked around she found that she had wondered far from the castle, to a large and old willow tree. The roots were in and out of the ground, the trunk must have been large enough to house Myra comfortably. The vines hung to the ground as thick as Myra's long and beautiful brown hair. Its bark as brown and as soft as her eyes, its buds as pink as her lips. Its branches woven as the braid she usually wore her in. As sad looking as Myra felt, with its' vines hanging, making the tree look as if the world were a top it shoulders. Myra thought, _This tree is me, it has seen some sunny and beautiful days and it has seen very dark days. _Myra knew that this was where she was supposed to be at that very moment. Myra took a seat beneath the tree, a spot from which she could see the whole castle, bustling with all the preparations that would ensue after her fathers death, her mothers coronation for starters. What was to come overwhelmed Myra, she tore her eyes away from the busy castle and looked up to see birds flying in and around the tree, tending to their young.

_Like what mothers and fathers are supposed to do. _Thought Myra, as she began to think of her own parents. Of her mother, that seemed to hate her, wanted nothing to do with her. _How could your own mother do that?_ She thought, _Mothers were supposed to be tender and loving, right?; why is my mother different from every one eles's mother? _Myra then began to think of her father. His smile, his hugs, his soft, warm, and caring voice. She missed him more than words could express. What would happen now that he was gone?

For a time Myra sat there beneath her tree and then she thought of her sister. Her sister was just like their father, kind and giving, loving and caring. Myra knew that if she needed anything she could turn to her sister. Snow would protect her; deep down she knew her mother would too. Deep down she knew her mother loved her too. She had talked to Snow about this and Snow just smiled and said that Regina did things her own way and that of course she loves you. Snow was more than anything Myra could have asked for in an older sister.

Later that night, after supper, Myra retired to her chambers. Changed into her bed clothes and went to sleep. After all that had happened that day she was exhausted and was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

Myra screamed and awoke in a panic, cold sweat beaded over her body, her heart was racing, she breathed heavily as if she had just finished a run.

"He's coming for me next..." she cried, "He's going to kill me next."

Snow rushed in and came to sit by her side. "Myra whats wrong?!" she asked wide eyed, "What happened? Are you all right?"

Myra sobbed and told her sister that their fathers murderer was coming for her next, that he was going to kill her the same way he killed father.

"Myra, he will not get to you, I will not allow it." Snow reassured Myra "I promise that as long as you are with me nothing will harm you." Myra looked at Snow through wet, red eyes. Snow canted her head and smiled down at the little princess.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" she asked Snow White, "Please, I don't want to be alone."

"Of course I will" Snow whispered, "I will never leave you alone." Snow kissed her sister on the forehead and slipped herself beneath the heavy blankets. Snow wrapped her arms around her little sister and nestled her into her embrace, protecting the child form the world around her, a world that for her, as well as for Snow White, was slowly becoming more dangerous. Snow allowed Myra to get comfortable, once she felt the child fall asleep, Snow allowed herself to drift off to the wonderful world of sleep and dreams.

Myra welcomed the protection of her sister presence. She burrowed as deep as she could into her sisters embrace and once she as far as she could go, Myra felt all her worries and cares begin to disappear and she fell into a deep sleep

The next few days went by in a blur for Myra. The coronation ceremony was all anyone could talk about. Myra kept to herself mostly and found solace with her sister. Many times Myra wanted to go to her mother but her mother seemed to always have something to do. Myra knew she and her mother were never close but with the death of her father she thought that maybe that would change. In the days leading up to the ceremony, this was not the case. "Shes just busy witht the coronation preperations, thats all." Myra told herself, but she only half believed it.

The day of the coronation came. Her mother sat on the throne in all her glory; wearing a large light blue dress adorned with gems and gold. Her hair, as always was up in a tight, high ponytail that cascaded curls down her back and around her shoulders. As Myra stared at her mother, in all her regal glory, Myra could help but think how beautiful her mother looked. Then she looked at Snow White. Dressed in a light lavender gown that hung from just around her slender shoulders, making her look more elegant, and older, than Myra had ever seen her before. Snow stood just off to the side of Regina. Myra was wearing a dark blue velvet dress that covered her up to her neck. It was a heavy dress that made Myra feel very uncomfortable. Her hair was done up in a simple half ponytail and then curled, Myra made her way to stand beside her sister. As she approached she caught her mothers gaze. Myra smiled at her mother and gave a curtsy. Myra made her way to Snow, Snow smiled at her and said "What a lovely curtsy, I thought you had forgotten how to do that." She joked. Myra smiled at her and replied "Honestly I thought I was going to fall over this dress weighs a ton." The both giggled for a moment and then regained their composure. It felt good to laugh again Myra thought and she smiled to herself.

The coronation went off with out a hitch. The long day seemed like it would never end with all the lords, ladies, and dignitaries that had to be met with. The receiving of gifts and of course the fest. Half way through the day Myra was just drained of all her energy. She stole glances at her mother through out the day but not once did she ever see her mother glance her way. The day finally came to an end, her mother took her leave, which was the signal that the celebration had ended. Myra retired to Snows room and the two stayed up half the night talking and joking and telling stories; just like they used to do. It seemed as if everything was getting better, becoming normal again


	3. So it Begins

The morning after the coronation ceremony Myra awoke in Snow chambers, alone. She assumed Snow had gotten up early as she almost always did to go down to the stables fro an early morning ride. Myra, unaware what time it was, made her way over to a portrait of Snows mother on the wall. She stared up at the dark haired blue eyed beauty dressed in a regal coronation gown with the small Snow White cradled tenderly in her arms. Myra wished she would have been able to meet Snows mother, Snow had told her that Princess, now Queen, Eva had taught her to ride and to not think of herself as any better than her people. To treat them with respect and caring. Snow said her mother was the most caring and loving person she had ever known, besides father that is. Myra lingered a little longer and then made her way through a secret door that connected Snows room to her own. It was well used, Snow and Myra spent many a night painting and decorating the walls. Myra took her time and ran her hand along one of the walls as she walked, ever so slowly back to her own chambers. Touching each creation and remembering the fun they had; Although since their fathers death, neither one used this corridor and so had not added to the colorful creations. Myra wished for things to go back to the way they were, happy and peaceful, to be able to be held by her fathers gentle and loving touch. He was gone, her eyes began to water, left her here. What did she do to deserve this. Then Snows voice creeped into her thoughts "Everything is going to be alright, I am here, I will not anything happened to you my little Kit. I love you."

Lost in her thoughts Myra almost missed the secret door that led into her own room. Coming back she pulled the lever that opened the door and pushed it open a crack, to see if anyone was in her room. It was clear and so she pushed it completely open and went through. Once the secret door was secure she ambled over to bed, yawned, and crawled in. She lie there for a while, not a thought crossing her mind, zoned out listening to nothing but the sound of her own breathing. Her eyes began to grow heavy, she pulled the covers up to her chin and glanced out the window. The curtains were closed tight leaving Myra with no idea what time it was. She didn't care. She was warm and comfortable in her soft bed with the million pillows she had. _Umm...She thought, I love pillows. Perhaps I should ask for bigger and softer ones later_ and then hugging a large feather down pillow, surrounded in a cocoon of sorts in pillows and blankets Myra went blissfully into sleep.

Myra was awoken by a maid knocking. "Yes?" Myra said tiredly The maid entered with a tray of food and asked "Your Grace, it is late afternoon, I thought it time to wake you so that you could eat." The maid said. "Late afternoon?!" Myra exclaimed "I slept all day? Why didn't anyone wake me?" She asked the maid. "Your Grace," The maid said nervously "you looked so peaceful, and with all that has happened I thought you could use a good rest." Myra looked at the maid who was now looking at the floor, awaiting a scoulding. Myra simply said "thank you. I do feel better and well rested." The maid looked up at the small child and smiled. Myra continued "and boy am I hungry" she laughed. Myra tore the covers from a top of her and jumped out of bed. She headed over to the table where the tray of what looked to be the cooks famous lamb stew, with fresh bread and butter. Grapes and strawberries with a small goblet of milk. Myra ate hungerly, she asked the maid, through mouthfuls, where her sister was. The maid looked down and told her that as soon as she was done eating that her mother wished to see her. Myra looked at the maid, bewildered, _her mother had summoned her, she's never done that before_. Myra quickly ate the rest of her meal and had the maid help her dress. With in moments she was out the door and traveling towards her mothers room. As she rounded the corner to her mother's bed chambers she was greeted by two guards. Mother has never had guards posted outside her chambers before, except when father had locked her in her room. The Guards looked down at the girl and Myra could not help but to giggle at the feathers sticking out from their helmets. The guards halted her, she looked up at one and then to the other, "I am Princess Myra and my mother is expecting me." she boldly said. The guards moved aside and Myra knocked upon her mothers chamber doors. The doors opened by themselves, and there she was standing in the afternoon sun, on her balcony. The child slowly made her way into the chambers. As she did the doors closed, again by themselves, and when they closed it made Myra jump. The Queen turned towards her, leaning on the balcony.

"Myra," She said, drawing out the last syllable of her name.

"I have some news," she cooed "and its not good news." The Queen stood up straight and interlaced her hands in front of her, shaking her head. With her chin pointing to the ground she slowly began walking towards the child. Myra stood there, motionless, her mother had never spoken to her so softly before. Myra could feel her breathing increase. She had no idea what the news was, but if her mother had summoned her it was bad.

"Snow White..." she said, making Myra hang on her every word "Has run away."

Myra looked at her questioningly, then she began to laugh. The Queen stopped, mere feet away from the child who was now laughing. "Snow? Run away? No, she would never leave me" Myra chuckled. Then she looked up at her mother. Not a sign of a smile or smirk, no form of emotion showing.

"What? When?" Myra asked, understanding that this was not a joke "How... How could she?" she whispered to herself.

"This morning she went for a walk in the woods and has disappeared." The Queen said matter of factly. Myra was speechless, first her father and now, in a very short time, her sister had left her. _Why is everyone leaving me?_ she thought, _What did I do? _Myra could feel her eyes begin to moisten, she knew the tears were going to come, she wanted them too. Then, without thinking she ran to her mother and wrapped her arms around the Queen's waist. She buried her face into the Queen's stomach and began to cry. "Why is everyone leaving us mother, what have we done!"

Regina, set back by the sudden actions of the girl, patted the girls head, "their not leaving me," she said softley, "they are leaving you, my dear." Myra looked up at her mother, not fully understanding what she had just said "Wh...What?" She stammered. The Queen pushed the child from her, Myra hit the ground on her bottom. Myra was caught completely of guard. She looked to her mother for an answer.

"You!" The Queen yelled, pointing her finger at the child "Have been the reason for all this, your fathers death, Snow White running away. It's your fault" Myra looked at her mother, "N...N...No, mother. I... I didn't do anything" The child pleaded "I swear, I have done nothing wrong"

The Queen chuckled at that, "Nothing Wrong?" She asked "Nothing wrong?!" Then with a wave of her hand Myra went flying trough the air, "You have done everything WRONG!" The queen continued to yell. Myra hit a wall with the full of her back. She slid down the wall in a daze. She seen that her mother was walking towards her. Another wave of Regina's hand the girl was sent flying to the other side of the room, "Since the day I discovered I had a parasite growing inside me, the day I told the king and he was so thrilled about it, everything has gone wrong!"

Myra slid across the floor as she hit the ground. She heard cracking as she made contact with the marble floor, and then she found a stinging in her chest each time she breathed in or out. Her mother was still yelling at her but she couldn't comprehend what she was saying. Regina began to approach the child once more. "What you did wrong is that you were BORN!" Myra, barely able to move because of the pain, looked up at her mother, barely able to keep her eyes open, "Mother, please" he whispered "Please, no more" She pleaded "No more." The Queen went to raise her hand again, Myra braced for what was to come and closed her eyes. It never came. When she opened her eyes again, her mother was standing over her, looking down pitifully at the cruled up child on the floor.

"I never wanted you" She said, and then knelled down, "I never loved you. You are nothing but a bastard, you will obey me as your Queen. You are not my child, I have no childeren?" She stood up and headed toward the chamber room doors "Guards!" She yelled, "Take this creature to the dungeons." With that, the guards carried the girl off, Myra yelled through all the pain for her mother,

"Mother! Please! Please don't, don't do this!"

Myra's screams could be heard through the castle, Regina wanted her to stop, with a flick of her wrist her chamber doors closed and the screaming stopped. _Ah, much better _she thought. _Let the screams be heard by everyone else. That if I can do this to my own flesh and blood, then just imagine what I could do to them. _Regina went and sat at her vanity

"Mirror, Mirror..." Regina said as she began to smile a devilish grin

The guards threw he into a cell. She hit the ground with an thump. She heard the cell door close and then lock. She was alone and in pain. There was almost no light, but what small light there was, she was able to make out a small bed on the ground. Very slowly and gently, and in a great deal of discomfort, she made her way to it. It was a pile of hay covered with a poor excuse of a blanket. She made herself as comfortable as she could in her present condition. On her side now, she gingerly pushed upon her ribs and instantly a jolt of sharp pain flooded her brain. _I knew mother was harsh, but this... this is just unimaginable. Mother hates me. _She thought to herself _My own mother hates me. Father is dead, Snow is gone, and now this. _Myra curled herself into a ball and quietly cried herself to sleep. She was truly alone now, at her mothers whim she could be killed at anytime or, left in here to rot. Either way Myra knew that she was never going to escape this.


	4. Emptiness

**Storybrook – Just after Curse is cast by the Evil Queen**

She awoke in the very early morning light, just as the sun was about to touch the horizon, to the pidder padder sound of rain falling upon her roof. She smiled to herself. _Oh how I love it when it rains _she thought. She sat up in her bed and leaned over to the rest herself upon the window sill. With one quick push she had the window open. As it opened she felt a rush of crisp, clean air and with it brought the scents of damp earth that Amilla so loved. She rested her head on top of her interlaced hands and let her head fall to one side. She starred blankly outside letting the relaxing sounds of rain hitting ground and everything else that was not protected, fill her ears, the comfortaing sight of a new sky, filled with the colors of deep purple, oranges, red, yellows, and deep blue, and the smells of damp earth, being washed of the past in order to greet the future growth that will be watered by this down poor. She sat there, thinking of nothing, her mind a complete blank; just then a Gray Catbird landed on the open window, no doubt attempting to get out of this weather. The small, shy dark gray mockingbird, with its black cap and red brown under tail, furrowed its feathers and shook the moisture from its body; spraying little water droplets everywhere. Amilla studied the bird. She had seen this one before; the small bird looked back at her inquisitively and gave her a "meow" type call. She smiled up at the mocking bird and just like that it was gone, _off to the edge of the forest to forage for some yummy worms or beetles _ She thought. _Oh the freedom they must have. To be able to fly on the back of the wind to far off places... _Amilla let the thought trail off as she begrudgingly pulled herself away from the calming noises of fall.

She stood up out of bed and walked to over the bathroom to prepare for the day. _Obviously I am not going to be able to sleep in on such a calm and peaceful day as this _She sighed to herself. Amilla went on and began to prepare for the day, not that she had much free time. During the day she found herself either at Granny's, Home, or work doing course work for her degree. She may have been only sixteen, a fact she kept hidden from everyone, but she had tested out of high school and enrolled in an online college. If the towns people found out her age and her story, she would surely be sent either to a foster home or to a group home, neither of which she wanted.

She couldn't remember when she had come to Storybrook but she had never had a place to which she felt she truly belonged. She couldn't remeber her parents, she had always been on her own. It seemed as if she had no where to belong, that she was destined to be alone and unwanted... by anyone. Here in this town she kept to herself and didn't mingle with the locals; her secret as a number one reason but also because the fear of rejection, any rejection, is just too much to bare. So she threw herself into her studies and her work. Not that her work took a rocket scientist or anything. She worked at the local records archive with Mr. Kryszkowski, or K for short. He took the day shift and she took the evening shift. Its a quite place where she could study.

Since she had woken so early Amilla decided to go to Granny's for an early breakfast. By this time the ran had slowed to a mere drizzle and tickled Amilla's face as she walked. She didn't know what it was about rain, or water period, but when a rain droplet hit her face, it's cool, moist touch, it felt like a warm kiss. Like the rain was giving her a part of itself. She took comfort in it, letting the rain wash away all her stress and anxiety, and one day, she hoped, it would wash her past clean. _If only it were that easy _she thought.

She walked from her one bed room loft apartment located at the edge of town, just on the out skirts of the forest. She choose it for two reasons: 1. it was away from the town and 2. She was completely alone, the closest neighbor was about a half mile away. The inside was scarcely decorated. Few furniture items: a couch, coffee table, dinner table with one chair, the bare essentials really. Amilla didn't need much, she didn't watch TV or play video games; she was more about reading, painting, sketching, writing, and of course homework. She didn't have time for anything else. It was a modest loft set above a two car garage, not that she needed the garage, she used it mainly for storage, if she needed it, art supplies, an extra study area, it wasn't really needed. The outside was painted a powder blue with white trim, and she had a small porch that was set just off the main door. The wooden stairs that led up to the porch were a bit worn with weather, but it was still sturdy, just like her. There was a small driveway leading up to her small piece of seclusion, but like the wooden stairs, it had been worn by weather. The concrete was cracked and uneven in many places, leaves thrown by that mornings storm littered the ground, almost covering up the driveway completely. It seemed that unless you knew it was there, you would just drive right by without any inclination that someone lived back there. Although it still was sprinkling Amilla got on her moped, placed her helmet atop her head, started her up and off she went.

She rode peacefully on her way to town, taking in the warm colors of the early morning that told her fall was in full swing. The oranges, and reds, and greens of the leaves that still clung until the very last moment to the branches of trees. The ones that had given up, slowly and gracefully drifting to the ground to join the others in a glistening color spectacle that made Amilla slow down her moped and enjoy these sights. _Oh how I love the fall_ she smiled to herself, _The clean crisp breezes of air that gently caress my face, the never ending smell of leaves and they disappear to give birth to new plants in the spring, the warmth of the setting sun in the evening, and the glow when she returns in the morning. The songs of birds and the rustle of foliage as the forest comes to life with wildlife for the last time of the year. _She had never fully understood why the fall meant so much to her. Like so many other things in her life she just let them come, taking the feelings, emotions, and thoughts gently in to her minds eye and then letting them go. For as much as she has been hurt in the past, she was never hard on herself for feeling or thinking things, she thought of them as a part of herself and to push them aside or to judge them was to judge herself. She had enough of that from others and promised she would never do that to herself.

Before she knew it she had pulled up to Granny's, it was barely past 6 am. Amilla could not even remember the last time she was up this early, she parked her moped right outside the door. _I am the first one here, so I guess that means I get the best parking spot _she giggled to herself. She walked in and as the bell chimed at her arrival Ruby looked up surprised. "Oh!" she exclaimed "I didn't think anyone would be out this early, especially in this weather." Ruby declared. "Well, I was up, and hungry" Amilla laughed, "so I thought I would come in for breakfast." She continued as she sat down. "Sure, what can I get you started to drink?" She asked "I don't know how prepared Granny is food wise but at least you can have something to drink" She smiled. "Sure," came Amilla's reply "I will have a hot apple cider," she declared with a smirk "its fall and I think it is only fitting to have apple cider in the fall" she laughed. Ruby laughed with Amilla, "Alright, one hot apple cider coming up." She stated as matter-a-fact and turned on her heel and headed toward the kitchen to see if Granny was entirely prepared for customers.

Once Ruby disappeared behind the kitchen door, Amilla starred out the window. Not that there was too much to see. Just a small, empty ally. She starred at the rain puddle and watched the water droplets leave ripples in the small pools. Lost in her own thoughts, she did not notice Ruby had come back. "One hot apple cider" she smiled "okay Granny is ready for whatever it is you want to shoot her way." Ruby held a pad of paper and a pen at the ready. Amilla thought for a moment and then she simply responded "Does Granny have any of her amazing cinnamon rolls?" she asked sheepishly. "If not, I can wait. A hot cinnamon roll sounds really tasty and I don't have to be anywhere for a while." Ruby smiled at her "I will see what I can do" and off she went again. Amilla returned her gaze to the puddles. Watching the ripples come and go, a few birds flying by trying to get home and out of the rain that had, again, began to pick up. As the rain picked up so did the wind; it blew the rain in waves it seemed against the window. Amilla pulled out her note book and began to write in her journal.

The door to Granny's opened again, the bell chimed. Amilla looked up and around, more startled out of her thoughts by the noise than the curiosity for who had entered. It was the Mayor. Amilla looked back to her book continued to write and every so often look back out the window to watch the rain fall, with out a care in the world.

As Regina entered the diner, she seen no one behind the counter _Typical _she thought and then as she opened the door wider to enter she turned her gaze to the other side of the diner. Regina quietly gasped. There she sat. Alone at a table completely oblivious to Regina's presence. Regina, seeing the girl look at her and then back down at her book, no reaction visible, Regina relaxed. Since the curse, whenever Regina seen someone for the first time in Storybrook she thought they may remember, but they never did and this time was no different. She looked for a moment longer, the girl sitting in the booth was in fact Myra, but older. With light brown hair and dark brown eyes. Her skin had a sun kissed glow, even in this horrible weather. Regina noted that she had her hair pulled back in a loose pony tail that had strands of stray hair falling around her face. For a moment, faster than a flash, Regina thought she seen something familiar but just as fast as it came she brushed it off. Just then Ruby came back out of the kitchen "Milla, Granny will have those out in about 15 minutes, is that alright?" She told Amilla. Amilla nodded her head with out ever looking up. She was completely consumed with whatever she was writing.

Regina cleared her throat loudly to remind Ruby she had yet to be waited on. Ruby, with both hands on the counter, tilted her head to the side and turned toward Regina. "Yes, Madam Mayor, What can I get for you this morning" Ruby said through almost clenched teeth. Ruby did not like the way the Mayor walked around like she was Queen or something, expecting to be given priority above everyone else. She may be Mayor but she is not special.

Regina ignored Ruby's attitude. "Coffee, two cream, one sugar. Half a grapefruit and two pieces of whole wheat toast lightly toasted to a golden brown with non-fat butter on the side. I would like that the toast be cut in half diagonally. Can you make sure that the grapefruit is extra cold? I don't want it to leak everywhere after you cut it" Regina said as if she had said it every day for her whole life. "Coming right up" Ruby said, emotionless. Regina took a seat at the counter. Her back towards the girl, she felt as if the girl was boring a hole through her head, thought she was staring at her. Regina turned sideways in her seat, facing towards the kitchen; she wanted to get another look at the girl. It had been longer than she thought since she sent her away. Regina was able to get a better look at the girl now as she waited for her breakfast. It was almost 6:15 am, so much had to be done at the office today. She stole another glance at the girl. She was wearing black rain boots that went up to her knees, her jeans were tucked into the boots, _smart, _thought Regina, and a brown, long sleeve sweater made from llama. She had her black rain coat hanging on the coat rack behind her, dripping with water. Just as when she first saw her, Regina felt that the girl looked familiar, she was her daughter of course but she reminded her of someone she was sure of it. Regina would not think on it too long before Ruby returned with her order. "Here you are Madam Mayor" Ruby handed Regina her order and the bill. Regina gave her a $10 bill and told her to keep the change. "Thanks" Ruby said as she put the bill in the drawer. Regina tuned on her heel and out the door in to the down poor. She rushed over to her car and jumped in. Her mind was now a blaze with the days tasks that would keep her very occupied.

Amilla could feel that the Mayor was looking at her. She had heard the towns people talking about her. No one had a very high opinion of her, in fact, it seemed as if they were somehow afraid of her. She, herself, had had no interaction with the Mayor and so as long as she kept her head down and continued to go mostly unnoticed all the better. She didn't have an opinion of the women herself but the Mayor did make her feel a little uneasy as she looked at her. Amilla just continued to ignore the glances and continued to write. She didn't write about anything important, didn't make lists but tried to capture the beauty of the outside, the chaotic down pour that seemed to drench anything and everything. Amilla always found the beauty in something that could be so untamed and destructive. As well as the mundane and bland. There was always some hidden angle, some perfect hidden angle that allowed its true beauty to show. Amilla was always looking for that angle. She thought the same about the Mayor. Through all the stories she heard about the women, there was beauty hidden somewhere beneath that cold exterior. Amilla watched the Mayor through the corner of her eye, trying to find that angle. It was true she was a dark haired beauty, sharply dressed, and would defeat any foe who challenged her, but somewhere, Amilla could sense, was a passionate human being searching for something. Something Amilla could not put her finger on, could not see.

She wrote down all that she thought about this women through this momentary observation, before she left with her order. The Mayor was a mystery, dark and secretive, _perhaps that is where her true beauty lies, _thought Amilla. That just when she revels something there is always something just a bit deeper. A whole world that would never be truly and wholly discovered. _Was there not beauty in something new and foreign; something that could never be truly attained? _She asked herself, _beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, and sometimes maybe harder to find, but it's always there. _She told herself. Ruby came out with the Mayors order and out the door she went, to face the world with all her mystery, to brave whatever it threw at her and just like Amilla's wooden stairs, remain strong.

Ruby headed back to the kitchen as the Mayor left and with in moments came back out with a fresh cinnamon roll. "Here ya go, fresh out of the oven" She smiled at Amilla "Do you need anything else? A refill maybe?" she asked "no" Amilla responded, "thank you though." With more and more customers coming in for their morning coffee, Amilla couldn't chat with Ruby, probably the closest thing she had to a friend, and was left to her own devices in the corner. She stayed until about 7 am, ordered another hot cider and roll for the road, paid and was off. By this time the rain had stopped but by the look of the dark clouds looming over head, it was to be short lived.

Today was payday and so Amilla headed to Mr. Gold's Pawn Shope. He owned the town and thus her loft. _His shop should be open by now _she thought and headed down the street. She walked, rather ambled down the road. Watching everyone mindlessly go from one place to the next, not really seeing anything, but going through the motions as if on auto-pilot. Amilla arrived at Mr. Gold's shop, the open sign showing. She walked in and took in all the things he had in his shop. No one was behind the counter so she just walked around, admiring all the collectables, and odd things he had for sale. Mr. Gold walked out from the back "Can I help you dearie?" He asked as if he was annoyed that someone had bothered him so early. "Ah, yes Mr. Gold I have this months rent." She said as she handed him an envelope. He took it from her and looked at the amount, "I am sorry dearie, but my prices have gone up." He told her as he shook his head at the amount in the envelope. Amilla stared at him "What?!" she said taken aback, "How much?" she looked at him defeated. She could barely pay what it was now and still have money left over for food and utilities. He wrote down a number and passed it to her over the glass counter top. She picked it up and when her eyes beheld the amount she was flabbergasted. "Is this the new total?" She asked him. "No, its in addition to what you already pay." He stated flatly. "The property on which you stay is in high demand and, well," he said with a slight chuckle "because it also has a loft and garage, you can see why." He stared at her, she didn't know how to react. What was she going to do? She couldn't afford this, not even with overtime. Mr. Gold raised his eyes brows and said "well if you can't afford this then I can find someone who can. I do have another place that may be with in your" he grined "price range."

He continued to stare at Amilla blankly. She looked back down at the price on the paper, "No, No its fine. I understand. I will get it." She looked up, forced a smile "Thank you Mr. Gold." She turned to leave, just as she was about to close the door she heard "I hope you do dearie." The rain had started to come down again. She pulled her coat tighter around her and put up the hood. As she walked out from under the over hang she ran into someone who was walking toward Mr. Gold's door. With out looking up, not wanting to get a face full of wind and rain she hurriedly apologized to the person. "Watch where you're going!" came an angry and annoyed voice. She paid no mind to the comment and went back to her moped. She was going to go home and give K a call. Maybe he could help her out. It was going to be a long, wet drive back to her place.

Regina had seen the girl come out of Gold's place looking defeated. She had her own dilemma to talk to him about. He may intimidate everyone else in town but not her. When the girl nearly knocked her over she wanted to push her back. _How dare she, or anyone, do that to her, so inconsiderate _she thought. She pushed her way into the store and shook her jack off. "Gold," she stated, "what happened to that girl?" she asked. "She is one of my tenets and was not happy with the rate change." He said as he fiddled with something behind the counter. "What can I do for you Madam Mayor?" He asked exasperated. "I would like to remodel my office." She said "it's old and out dated, I need someone who is highly qualified, with great taste, and an eye for detail. Money is no issue." " I may know someone dearie, but it comes with a price." He said slyly with a smirk. "Gold, with you everything comes with a price" she slyly smirked back at him. "I know of someone..."

It was a long and wet trip home. Amilla's peaceful morning had been turned upside down. How was she going to pay Mr. Gold? She pulled up and parked her moped beneath the porch and quickly ran up the stairs and into the house. She peeled off all her wet clothes until she was standing in the door way naked. She walked back to her room and found dry, warm clothes. She dried her hair with a towel as she walked back to the living room to find the phone. She picked it up and dialed the office. She couldn't put off talking to K any longer. She needed help and fast. K picked up on the second ring. "Storybrook records archives office K speaking." He said mechanically. "K, I just came from Mr. Gold's" she began to break down "he has raised my rent and I don't know what to do. How can I afford this?" she asked almost as if she was speaking out load to herself. "Wait, what happened?" He said concerned. "I went to pay Mr. Gold and he told me he raised the rent. K the number he gave me... I can't afford it." She said, breathlessly. "Milla, I will help out as much as I can. I can give you more hours, buts that's about it. What about a second job?" He asked, "I think the Mayors office may have an opening, I can try and see what I can do." He said careingly. He may not have been an emotional man, but as she continued to work with him they became closer. "I can help with the rest of this months rent" he offered "and then we can figure something out. Just think of it as a bonus" He laughed, trying to make light the situation. "Milla, just calm down, everything will be fine. Listen take the night off, don't worry about coming in. There is nothing to do here at the moment. Just stay home and relax, I will go by Mr. Gold's tomorrow. Okay?" He asked. "Are you sure?" she asked unsure "its a lot of money and I don't know when I can pay you back?" she said through tears. "Don't worry about it." he said "I will talk to you tomorrow." and then he hung up. It was only 9 in the morning and she felt like her whole day was ruined. She decided to go back to bed and listen to the rain.

Covering herself up with blankets and staring out the window as the rain continued to fall, in that moment she felt truly helpless and alone. K was a good boss but he wasn't family. Although she couldn't remeber her family, sometimes she would take her extra pillows and line them up along the bed, she would cozy up to them and pretend it was her mother lying next to her and comforting her. Or her father, holding her after a bad dream. When it was really bad she lined both sides and pretended it was both. Today was really bad, she lined the pillows up and snuggled down in between them. She would close her eyes and pretend so hard that if she opened her eyes it hurt to see that it wasn't true. She closed her eyes, "Mom," she whispered, "Where are you? What am I going to do? I mean K is going to help but what about next month or the month after? Even with this second job and any overtime I can get I may not make it." She began to sob. "What did I do to have you and father leave me?" she demanded "I have needed you for so long and for so much. I really need you now." She imagined her mother softly stroking her hair and whispering "Don't worry my love, I never left you." She pulled her "father" in closer and buried her face in her "mother" and wept. She had been strong for so long, held so much in, denied herself to truly feel anything, but now she could no longer hold it back. The beauty she has always searched for was the beauty of a family, something she could not truly see for she had never truly seen or experience it. Its' beauty lies with in its unattainable resolve. She cried herself back to sleep, thinking of what she had always wanted but never had, and dreaming of the darkness and nothingness that has become her empty life.


	5. New found freedom

**Enchanted Forest – Shortly before the Curse is cast by the Evil Queen**

She awoke just like everyday before, in the dark and alone. It had been this for she didn't know how long. She was just a girl when her mother put her in this dank, damp, and dark cell. She was becoming a women; Her body taking on the form of a lady. She could not spend another day in this forsaken place. She needed sunlight, she needed fresh air, but more importantly she needed people. She had been so lonely here except when the guards brought her her two meals a day. She had not seen nor heard from anyone else. She had assumed her mother had told everyone that she had runaway as well. _Well, _she thought, _today is the day that Mother finally tells the truth_. She planned to run. Her plan was simple, one guard came with food twice a day, she would say something to get him into the cell, it would be dark of course and he would, hopefully, not be able to see very well. She would hit him on the head and/or just make a run for it. After, of course, she closed the door and locked him in. It was a simple lock that latched from the outside and was secured with a lock. It would be all to easy to close the door and clasp the lock.

Myra waited until the evening meal, late afternoon really, when her cell was the darkest. The guard came, right on time. She moaned as if in pain, "Help me" she cried "I think I have broken my ankle. I can't move it," sure enough the guard came into investigate.

The guard entered the cell, it took him a moment to get in, usually they just passed the meals under the door. Myra took this time to get into position next to door, on the opposite side from hence she had called. The guard opened the door all the way and walked in "Where are you?" he bellowed. When she did not answer he walked further into the cell, "I know you are in here girl, now speak" he demanded. He took two more steps and Myra, breathing heavily make her move. She quietly and quickly closed the door and attached the lock. Before the guard even knew what had happened she was already running down the corridor, she could hear him yell after her but she did not understand what he was saying, she didn't care. The blood was rushing to her ears, she was breathing as heavily as she had ever breathed before, he legs were aching, her bare feet screaming in pain form the sharp stones that bit into her flesh with every step, all the while she had a smile upon her lips and hope in her heart. Something she had not felt in what seemed like forever. She felt light as a feather as she ran towards her freedom. She reached the door to the outside. The guards were at dinner, only a skeleton crew was left to guard the walls. Night was growing and the day fading away. She would wait a few moments more and escape under the cover of night.

At last the moment came, she made a run for the woods. Not one guard had noticed a small barefoot figure running into the forest. Once she was in far enough to where the castle was blocked from view by the tall oaks and redwoods she allowed herself to stop and take a breath, once she caught her breath she began to look at her surroundings. Nothing but trees, no light in sight. She had no idea where she was, but she knew in which direction she did not want to go. She really hadn't thought this far ahead. Night was upon her and she had no place to go. She had horrible rags that served as a poor excuse for clothes, no shoes, she had not been able to bathe properly, and she was quite sure that a bird would easily mistake her hair for a nest. She crossed her arms across her chest and began to walk. She tried her best not to step on fallen branches and sticks but with the moon light being blocked out by the trees, she was failing miserably.

She was unsure for how long she had walked before she came upon a small cottage with a barn. Slowly and cautiously she walked up to it, no doubt by now the Queen was informed of her disappearance, so she must be extremely cautious when asking for shelter. She knocked on the door and a small boy answered the door. Myra smiled down at the child "Is your mother or father home?" she asked sweetly. Just then a man, the size of a giant walked up behind the boy. He had a beard that was streaked with gray and a full head of black hair. His eyes were the color of emeralds and his teeth were as white as the clouds. Although his size said other wise, his eyes said he was a kind and loving man. "What do you want wench?" He demanded. She could hardly blame him, in the condition in which she was, anyone would be suspicious. "Please Sir, I..." She lowered her eyes, she did not know what to say. All this time she had dreamed of free and here she was about to freeze to death all because she didn't know how to ask for a place to sleep.

The man continued to stare upon the poor wretch. Watching her every move, he could see that the girl was ill equipped to weather a night outside. "What is your name girl." He asked a little more softly. "My..." She stammered, not wanting to give her real name, "My name is Donella, but everyone calls me Ella." She whispered. "I am sorry for disterbing you so late, its just that I got lost in the wood and am in dire need for a warm place to sleep. If would be so kind as to grant me permission to stay in your barn, I would be gone by first light." She said as she contiuned to look down upon her dirty and scratch toes. He looked at her once more, there was something about this girl that he could not put his fingers on, but he could sense that she was indeed in trouble. "You may stay in the barn," he said after taking a few monments to take the girl in, "I will send my son William out with some supper and a couple of blankets.

Myra's eyes lite up with joy, she spread her lips as wide as they would go into a smile, "Thank You!" She exclamined in happiness, she then quited down once she seen the surprised look upon the mans chisled face, "Thank you Sir, your kindness will not be forgotten." she bowed. Now it hit him, she was no wentch, she was from the palace. The way she spoke told it all, but she was no where near as confident as he would expected. "Are you heading back towrads the castle?" He asked and he grabbed his coat and a candle to show the girl out to the barn. "Why do you ask?" she returned nervously. "You just seem like you have spent a lot of time there, I mean your bow and the way you talk and all." She said non chalantly. "No," she stated, "I was no longer wanted there, I did something worng." she said, with a sadness that was too great to hide. "My name is Joseph, I live here with my two boys. James and Sam. Sam was the little one you met at the door." he said to try and ease the girls discomfort. "I will have James bring out some bread and mulled wine as well. You look like you may need it." Myra remained silent. Never had anyone been so kind to her since her father. "My wife has some extra clothes and shoes. You seem about her size, I will bring you some new clothes, shoes, and a hot wash." He stopped in his tracks and took a moment to ponder, On secound thought, child, once that is done you can stay inside by the fire, the frost is upon soon and I would hate for it to be tonight and you're out here in the barn." He turned them round to head back towards the house. "Better yet, I will have my wife help clean you up child." He looked back at her and gave her the softest of smiles, a smile that reminded her so much of her father. "Thank you" was all she could say though quite tears of joy and relief.

After a long hot bath, his wife, Jenny, helped Myra into some of her old clothes, gave her a pair of sturdy boots and for the love of all the fairies filled her belly with the most delicious rabbit stew she had ever tasted. Jenny even braided her hair, just like Myra used to have as a child. They let her sleep next to the fire, she fell asleep as happy as she could ever remembering being in such a long time.

The next morning she was awoken by a load knock at the cottage door, her eyes flew open and she sat stright up. _Oh no! _She thought, _they have found me_. Joseph answered the door and two guards stared at him in the face.

"We are looking for a girl, 15 years of age, with brown hair and eyes. She would have been very dirty and barefoot sir" they stated. "And who is this girl you search for?" he asked simply. "She is the Queens prisoner and by order of Her Majesty the Queen she has ordered the girls' prompt return." The guard authoritativly said. "Oh" Joesph said. He looked back at the girl he had come to know as Ella. He could see the shear terrror in her face. "Well, she has not come here. The only ones that dwell here are my wife, two sons, and my daughter." He said as if it were the most natural thing. From where Joseph stood at the door, he blocked the guards view of Jenny and the boys reaction to Joesphs blantent lie, but then seen the fear in Myra's face. "Sir, by order of the Her Majesty the Queen we are to search every single home around the castle. Joseph moved aside and let them in. Myra was frozen with fear. _You just let them in!? _She shouted at him in her mind _You can't let them take me away!? _She pleaded. The guards came in and began to destroy the home. One of them even pushed Myra out of the way to search. After several moments, watching the Queens guard destroy the home they left. Once Joesph closed the door he walked directly over ot where Myra was still frozen. He took her in his arms and hugged the girl.

Myra began to weep at the sudden warmth and weight of his arms around her. This man, whom she hardly knew, saved her life. She owed him her life. She slowed her weeping and looked at his seven foot tall, gentle giant "Why did you lie to them?" she asked with some effort. "No one deserves to be hunted like a dog, or caged like one for that matter." she looked at him in relief "You dont even know who i am, or what I did to become Her prisioner" she stammered. "Don't worry little one, you are safe now. When you are ready, you can tell me." Joesph said as he smiled down upon her her face in his hands. He then looked up "Jenny, my love, can you get a weeks worth of supplies ready for a journey, James prepare two horses," he looked back down upon the girl and smiled"I am going to take her to Snow White."

Myra had not heard her sisters name in many years "Snow White!?" she exclaimed "Snow White is alive?" she asked "Yes and she is to be married to a prince."he said matter of factly "She will protect you from the Queen, you'll be safest in her Kingdom. Come now we must prepare to go." and like that he was off to prepare for the long journey to Snow Whites castle. She could hardly believe what was going on, everything was happening so fast. She was no longer aware of her surroundings, to her everything was moving at super sonic speed. She allowed everything to go on around her as she stared at reality in disbelief. _Is this really happening? My sister is alive? My sister is alive! _She thought to herself over and over again _Can this be true? Everything I was told is a lie... _Her thoughts trailed off once again as Joesph and his family made preparations for their week long journey.

Next thing Myra knew she was sitting atop a magnificent white beast that must have been 14 or 15 hands long. Legs that seemed they could kill a man with a well placed kick. With a main that felt as luxurious as silk and the disposition of fresh raw honey, smooth and sweet. Myra could feel the animals every breath, its every beat of its strong heart. She felt safe atop this animal and so Myra began to relax, she noticed that Joesph was beside on his own horse, 12 to 13 hands long and brown and white in color. He was looking straight ahead, not saying a word, then he noticed Myra looking at him. "Oh," he whispered with a small smile "glad to see you are back, we thought you would never be normal again." he chuckled. Myra did not return the laugh, she looked down to the ground and then turned her head and focused on the road ahead. "Everything just happened so fast," she said, just louder than a whisper, "I... I am sorry I worried you, but now it is my turn to worry." She looked back at him, concern in her eyes, "You have put yourself and your family in harms way to protect me. The Queen will discover where I am and I would rather not be found in your company. She will surely kill you." Joesph simply smiled at her softly, "little one" he cooed, "thank you for your concern, but did you not think I was aware of that when I first lied to the guards?" he asked, rhetorically. "I am well aware of what she does to people who betray her, you are our lost princess it is my duty," he stoped, "nay, my hounor to return you to your rightful place beside your sister. You both were meant to rule this land as your father before you ruled it." he raised his fist to his eye level, "With a strong fist and a gentle hand," as he relaxed his fingers and looked back to her. She was looking at him curiously, and then she smiled at him, no words needed to be spoken. She still felt that if anything were to happen to him it would be her fault. She would try to make sure that didn't happen. They rode in silence for the rest of the morning.

Regina was beside herself, _how could my guards let a child, a simple child out smart them, _she thought, _"imbeciles_" she whispered to herself. The girl would no doubt make it to Snow White, now she had to deal with both of them. She paced around the throne room as the guards in charge of the child waited upon their knees, awaiting her punishment. Her mind was racing, she had to find the girl before she made it to Snow, _but how _she wondered. _They searched the grounds and the surrounding houses, she was no where to be found... unless _"Guards" she bellowed in her commanding tone, "were their any homes that had a girl of 14 or 15?" she asked as if she already knew the answer. "Yes, my Queen, a few" said one of the guards "Bring them all to me, every girl that even looks to be the girls age." She smirked at the guards "The house that no longer has that girl was the one that had her, bring that person or persons directly to me" she commanded. With the command given the guards hurried out of the throne room and away from her wrath. They would hurry to appease her not wanting to be killed over her idea of incompetence.

The guards arrived back to the castle with the villagers she wanted. All the girls that fit the age and a family who lived on the other side of the wood in a cottage whose husband and eldest daughter were traveling that very morning. They lined the girls up first and then the mother and two children in the Queens office chambers. "Your Majesty," one of the guards spoke, "we have brought you what you have asked for."

The Queen slowly stood from her desk, the same desk that King Leopold had sat at the morning she told him about the child. And then looked at what the guards had brought before her. The girls were most certainly not whom she was looking for, "take the girls away," she said with a wave of her hand, "leave them." she pointed to the women and two children. "You have a daughter?" the queen asked. The women nodded. "And... where is she now" the Queen asked as she sat stiff as a board behind the mahogany desk. "She and my husband were heading to the other side of the kingdom to visit family as well as to perhaps marry our daughter Ella to a successful family. We are poor and don't have much, she is beautiful and could have any man she liked" the women said. "When all is ready my husband will send for us and we will meet them there." Jenny had known this was coming so she went over the story in her hand several times, she made sure Sam and James knew the story too, She did not want to scare them with the real nature of the situation, _how could Joesph put us in harms way, living so close the Evil Queen, he should have just given them the girl _she thought.

Regina stared at the women, something was not right, she waved her hand and the women was floating in the air, Regina held her there and then began to magically squeeze her throat. "Now," she cooed in a soft yet dangerous voice, "tell me the truth or I will end you right here in front of your children." in a commanding tone that would scare anyone. Jenny looked at her two boys, confused and frozen in fear, she had to protect her family, she hoped Joesph would understand. "I don't know her name, she just showed up in the middle of the night asking to use our barn for shelter!" she choked "She is on her way to Snow Whites palace." The Queen released her grip and the women fell to the ground, rubbing her neck. _Ugh! _the Queen thought _If I need something done right, apparently I must do it myself. _"Guards!" she yelled, "takes these three to the dungeons, make sure the boys are in a different cell from their 'mommy' "she mocked. "And bring my fastest carriage, we have some hunting to do" she smiled devilishly. After the guards had taken them away the Queen made her way to the stables. _You can run but you wont hide, _I _will find you my dear, and you will pay._


	6. One day at a time

**Storybrooke- **

The next few days went by in a blur. Myra was really off of her center; K was of course a great friend and had helped her as he had said he would. K called her later that day, that horrible day she just broke down, and said he had taken care of the money. He also told her that he was trying to pull some strings and get her an interview at City Hall so she could make some extra money. This was great news, that she might be able to keep her house, but with the end of the semester approaching she was unsure if she would be able to continue with all the added work. She guessed she would cross that bridge when the time came.

True to his word K was able to get the interview at City Hall. She woke the day of the interview with virtually no energy, no motivation, just tiredness. She wanted to stay in bed and just sleep, but she knew she couldn't, she knew she was the only one she could rely on, she just wanted a break from life. She wanted to enjoy her teens, do things other kids her age were doing, but she couldn't. She hated having to hide her true self, not really being able to _act_ like she should: carefree and rebellious. She hated be forced to grow up so fast. She dragged herself through her morning routine, Shower, dress, hair, eat, etc and out the door she went. Interview was set at 8 o'clock that morning and she wanted to make sure she was not late so she left almost a full hour early and arrived at City Hall at half past seven. The job was an entry level job doing clerical tasks and typing any required documents that the Mayor's office needed typed. Pretty much it was a job that required very little thinking, a monkey could do it.

It was still early the Mayor's office didnt open until 9 a.m so as far as employees there were a few early birds but no one paid Myra any attention. She looked around the waiting area. _Nothing too note worthy in here _ she thought. It was a plan waiting room, bland walls the color of some cheap off white, off brand color with nothing on them, not even one of those cheesy cheap reprints you usually find in any waiting room. There were five chairs total with one, empty table. All were made of particle board she thought and covered with a light brown faux wood lament, with almost unbearably hard cushions. Not even some random form or leaflet giving information was laid out on the table, it was as empty as the halls were. The floors were almost as dull as the walls. White linoleum, perfectly waxed to a brilliant sheen.

She threw her head back and gave an audible sigh, _I am going to be here forever! _She thought sarcasticly, she looked directly into the harsh florescent lights to see what shapes her eyes would make of it the longer she stared. She stared at them until her eyes began to ache. When she did finally look away, blood red in the shape of the lights is what she saw. It was like a negitive of a photograph when white is black and black is white but instead of white it was red, as if the image was burned into her retinas. Once the redness went away and her eye sight returned to normal, she would repeat the process. She didn't know what it was but she felt as if something was wrong, like she was not where she needed to be. It was a small feeling but she noticed it none the less. At this moment in time, in her situation she did not have the luxuary to cater to the whims of her _feelings_ when in reality she really needed this job otherwise she was going to be on the streets.

She repeated her 'starring at the light' process two or three more times. The last time, once her sight was normal, she checked her watch, _ugh! Its only 7:20! _At this point she was kicking herself for being so damn early. She could have stopped by Granny's and gotten a cider and roll, but Granny's was on the other side of town and she didn't have time to go and order then come back. Her banana she had on the way out the door was starting to wear off. So to distract herself she began her light routine again, what else could she do in a place as boring as this waiting room? She had no phone, who was she going to call, besides K, no tablet, couldn't afford that OR a computer, she had no MP3 player with her, she thought it might look unprofessional to have the interviewer call on her and there she sat, in the waiting room, with ear buds in listening to music so load that the next building could here it, just to keep herself occupied. No, that woulod not do, so she would make some color of her own in this colorless waiting room by looking into the light.

At promptly 7:30 a.m Regina arrives at City Hall as she does everyday. There is virtually no one there until at least 8:30 a.m, so she has some peace and quite to plan the rest of the days events to make the most of her time before she goes home. She walked into the building and just as all the days past, she seen no one in the halls. She continues to walk down the hallway past the reception desk to her office when out of the corner of her eye she sees movement in the waiting room. On impulse she looks over to see _her. Why on earth is _she _here? _Thought Regina. Before she could look away, as if she had never seen the girl, she looked up and made eye contact with the Mayor. Regina, through a force of habit, flatly said "Good Morning." The girl gave a half smile and returned with her own "Good Morning." For the life of her Regina did not know what came over her in the next moment, before she relized what was happening it had happened.

"What brings you here so early in the morning?" she asked. The girl simply responded "I am have an interview with Stacey about a clerical position," then she added, as if to release the tension in the room Regina could feel like a second skin, "and what brings you here so early in the morning? Are you here for the typist job too?" she chuckled. Regina, annoyed, said what came natural when it seemed someone was disrespecting her power and authority, "I am the Mayor," in a harsh, cold tone, "and, my dear, as your future perspective employer you will act professional at all times, that means no joking around or schinanagiens." And with that, she left the girl in a state of regret and fear in that she may not get the job. _Why would she need this job? _Regina asked herself _I gave her a job that would keep her out of everyone's way. _She did love that even though the girl did not remember, Regina could still put fear into her without even trying. _I guess being a naive little twit is something she inherited from her father_, she thought, _Oh how sweet, like father like daughter,_ she thought mockingly. _They were both weak, look where they are now. They are nothing, no one, and I hold all the power. Just as it should have always been_. She smiled to herself at that thought. She succeeded in taking away Snows happy ending, the only thing that could out do that was to take her life, but seeing Snow suffer everyday was even sweeter.

Myra just watched as the Mayor walked away towards her office. _How could I have been so stupid! _She yelled at herself, _Insert foot here. _She slapped her palm to her forehead. "Gah!" _That was the damn MAYOR you fool! _She still had time to calm herself before her interview, she would be able to explain herself then if the situation warranted it. _Of course it does! One word from the Mayor and no job, no rent money, no place to live! _How could she had been so dumb. She had heard the stories from the others in town, should have known better that to try and joke with her. She had no sense of humor, or feelings for that matter, at all. She was a cold and heartless women who only made methodical moves that she knew would benefit her and here Myra had just offended the Freaking MAYOR!

But Myra couldn't help to think, _There was something in her eyes, something familiar..._ For the brief moment they held eye contact Myra got the impression that they had meet before but she could not remember exactly when. Myra had always thought that the eyes were the only place on a human body where one could not hide, where ones soul within was reflected. A place where one can either let you in or shut you out, but with the Mayor all she could see were two beautiful brown saucers that were overflowing with secrets that needed to be kept. It was sad and Myra, for a moment felt pity for the Mayor. All the responsibility the position held but no one to share her ups and downs with, Myra felt in this way she was the same as the Mayor. Alone and, perhaps on the Mayors side as well, unwanted.

Myra sat there and continued to think about what it was about the Mayor. No matter how hard she tried to find where that familiar feeling came from, the further she seemed to get from it. It was, at moments, just on the tip of her tongue, like a word you used so often had suddenly escaped you. Before she knew it it wa stime for her interview and Stacey called her name, breaking her concentration and bringing her back to reality. "Good Morning Miss. Parker" Stacey said with a smile, "You came highly recommend from Mr. K" Myra smiled and said thank you. The interview seemed a formailty to Myra, _I guess K did a better job than I thought _she thought to herself. Stacey asked few questions, mostly administration informaton was needed and then "Welcome to the team can you start tomorrow at 9 a.m sharp?" "Yeah, that'd be perfect" Myra replied a little taken aback to the ease and fastness of getting the position. "Alright, I will see you bright and early." Stacey smiled warmly. Myra got up to leave but before she walked out the door she turned back to the women, "I met the Mayor this morning and well, I think I may have offended her, I didn't know if that would affect the job." Stacey looked up at Myra and simply said "Between you and me, the Mayor is easily offended, but don't worry I am the one in charge of hiring and firing." She laughed. Myra laughed with her a moment before leaving through the door and saying a final "Thank you". She smiled to herself, _I just might be able to pull this off. School will have to wait until I can get ahead but thats fine. At least now I have somewhat of a plan. _She smiled all the way outside and made way for home. K had given her the day off, with pay, she was happy for that, so that she could just focus on the interview and get ready for it. She decided for dinner would be pizza and a bottle of wine to celebrate. _I am an adult, why cant I have a drink of the wine K got me._ _I deserve it. _With that she felt as if all was going right in the world, a weight had been lifted off her shoulders and it was a grand feeling.

Later that morning Regina paid a visit to Stacey to inquire about the typist position and whether or not it had been filled. In reality she wanted to be sure the girl did not get it. Regina walked right into Stacey's' office, no knock or announcement. "Miss. Ford, have we been successful in filling our open typist position?" She asked sternly. Stacey looked up from her desk and stared at the Mayor. "Yes Ma'am, this morning. A lovely young girl by the name of..." She ruffled through a stack of papers on her desk to find the correct application. "Parker. Amillia Parker. She came highly recommended with great references form one of our own, K, over at the record archives office. The Mayor was flabbergasted "No, I don't think she is the right fit. Too cheeky and inexperienced." The Mayor told her as a matter of factly. "Well Madam Mayor I have already offered her the position and she accepted. There were few applicants and she was the best qualified. As far as inexperienced she has worked at the archives for some time now so she is perfect for the clerical position." Stacey told the Mayor boldly. She could not understand how a short encounter with the Mayor could result in the Mayor coming down and personally telling her not to hire her. Whatever it was, Stacey smiled to herself, it must have been amazing, to get a rise out of the Mayor so quickly. Stacey knew she had made the perfect choice for hiring her. In this small town you had to get your kicks somewhere and very discreetly pissing off the Mayor was a highlight, as long as you didn't get caught of course. This was perfect.

Regina could not believe the womens audacity. She had cast this curse to make them suffer, she did not want that girl working in her office. Her face was a constant reminder of a painful past. She would have to do something, and her mind was abuzz with how she would do it. "Fine, but I don't want to see her anywhere near or in my office. Keep her in the back at a desk all day. If I see her just once I will fire her on the spot and then I will fire you. I don't need experienced professionals, not some immature child running around my office making a bad impression on the other City Heads. Is that clear Miss. Ford?" She said with a cold sting. "Crystal, Madam Mayor." Stacey said through a forced smile. Regina turned on her heel and left Stacey's office. _I will fire her anyway, and the girl too, _she thought, _I will have my happy ending. _


	7. The Cost of Freedom

**Hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween. So I decided I needed to get his chapter out of my head. It is another sad one but it is the last of this type of sadness. This will be the last chapter for at least two weeks and I wanted to leave you guys with something to think about in that time. I hope you enjoy this one. It is not as detailed as I would have liked but it is late, I have to be up early and well, use your imagination to create the picture lol. Let me know what you think of this one. O am still actively trying to work out what I am going to have them do/say during their first meeting after the curse is broken which is supposed to be the next chapter. Hope you can hang on till then. **

They had been riding fro what seemed like a life time. Finally, after three days with out stopping Joesph led the horses into the forest. "I think we have made enough of a gap between us and your mothers palace." He said, "I think it safe to stop and rest a while." Myra was over come with relief. If she had to spend another hour on that horse surely her legs would fall off. Joesph helped her off her horse, he must have known something, for he did not let go of her until he was sure she could stand. It was a good thing to because as soon as her feet hit the ground her knees gave out from under her and her legs were as jello. "Whoa there little one, take your time," he softly told her, "we rode for many miles with out stop it is going to take you some time." She held onto him until she was confident in her ability to carry her own weight. Joesph began to unload the horses and set up camp. He told her to just lie down and rest, he was sure she was not used to riding for so long. He was right her body ached, she didn't notice just how much until just now. Her thighs, her calves, her back and neck, hell even her hands ached. The first thing Joesph unloaded were a couple of blankets. He made a quick bed for her and told her to lie there. She obeyed, gratefully. She did feel guilty for not helping make camp but she probably would have done more harm then good. She instantly fell asleep as soon as Joesph covered her. She slept the most restful sleep she had gotten in ages.

She awoke sometime in the late afternoon, as soon as she opened her eyes she knew something was wrong. She laid there, still as a rock and just listened. She heard nothing, not even a bird singing. She slowly sat up. Joesph had made a fire bed, but was no where to be found, nor his horse. There was also no fire and some of the things were still in the sadal bags. She began to panic. _Oh no she's found us! _She began to breath heavily. She had no idea what to do, she was frozen with fear. She heard a branch break somewhere behind her, she waited for the pain her mother was going to inflict hit her. It never came. "Did you sleep well little one?" he asked with a smile, "you did sleep for the better part of the day, I thought you were going to sleep..." he stopped in his tracks when he seen the sheer terror upon the girls face. "What has happened? Are you hurt? Tell me Ella!" He jumped off his horse and rushed to her. She looked up at him with wide eyes and bewilderment "I...I... You were gone..." She stammered. "Oh little one I am sorry, you looked so peaceful I didn't want to wake you." He cooed as he lifted her face with his hand. "I am so sorry, I never meant to scare you, I am here and you are safe." Her breathing slowed and she smiled up at him. He reminded her of her father. Kind and gentle. "I am sorry, I just..." she began, he cut her off, "Don't try to explain, you have been through a lot." he then went back to his horse and pulled something from a side pouch. It was four slimy fish. "How about I get a fire started and cook us some dinner. Would you like fish, fish, or..." he looked up and grabbed his chin as if deep in thought, "Fish?" he laughed. Myra smiled back at him "you know what sounds really good?" she paused and Joesph looked at her "what?" he asked. "Fish" Myra said in all seriousness. He looked at her and she returned and then they both gave out a loud laugh. It had been so long since she laughed that hard. With all the dangers of her mothers guard and her mother hot on her trail she felt as good as the days when she and her sister would laugh like this.

They ate there dinner and talked about anything and everything. Favorite foods, things to do, what they both wanted to do but were too afraid to try. Myra even opened up a little and told him about her fathers death and how that is when things began to change. He listened intently and judge her he did not. She was grateful for that. There was a lot she didn't understand about her mother and apparently everyone else was in the same boat. "Your mother has done some terrible things, horrible things and she still strikes fear into even grown men's hearts, even mine." he looked at her, to show the seriousness and concern he had for not only the situation that was the Evil Queen but as well as the danger Myra now seemed to be in until he could safely get her to Snow White's castle. He looked away from her and into the warm glow of the fire. "That is for those who do not know her, little one I could not imagine what your life was like with her, but I am sorry. No child should be treated like that especially by her own mother." Myra could see that his eyes were began to tear, he must be a man full of love and compassion. Myra felt for him just as he felt for her. No one should have to live in a world where fear reigned over their lives. That was no way to live a life, she of all people understood that.

That night Myra dreamt, it was the first time in a long time she could remember that she dreamed anything. She was standing in the garden of the palace, the flowers were in full bloom. The reds, yellows, purples, and the complimentary green of the leaves. She could smell the cool damp earth mixed with the fragrance of the flowers. She could feel the sun softly warming her cheeks. The warm kiss of the blowing breeze on her face and arms. She felt happy, as if things were as they should be. She could not explain it but it was right where she needed to be. She walked through the gardens, looking at each flower as if it were the first. Noting the velvety soft flesh of the petals, so delicate and perfect, the strong green steams that gave the flower stability, and the veins of the green leaves that provided the flower with the food it needed. She leaned down to smell a Purple D'Oro Daylily, with 6 soft deep purple petals that came to a point and light yellow center that expanded out like sunshine on a dark day against the petals. It smelled sweet, like a warm summer evening, she closed her eyes and took it all in one breath. Her heart began to race, something was wrong. She opened her eyes and in an instant day had changed into night. She stood up and looked around, she was horrified at what she seen. The flowers had long since died, the garden was in shambles. Weeds had taken over and were going where flowers had just been. She turned around and gazed up at where the palace once stood and found ruins Nothing but a piling pile of rock and stone. She continued to turn, taking in her new found landscape, mouth draped open in horror that the beauty that once surrounded her was replaced with death and destruction. The forest that surrounded the palace was now nothing more than a tree graveyard with its once beautiful trees now barren and left with only bare branches covered in moss that grew and overtook the the hollow and barren trees parts left to stand the test of time like a parasite that would not be stopped until it either ran out of space or consumed everything it could.

Myra came full circle and face to face with a large wolf. Its head bowed low and its teeth bared. Saliva dripped from its lower lip, it inched closer and closer. Its yellow eyes seemed to glow in the dark as it never took them off of her. As it moved closer and closer, its eyes changed from yellow to brown, she seen a purple sheen in its seemingly black fur. Fur that was long, and silky smooth. Myra fought the urge to touch the welcoming warmth and softness of its fur, to bury her face in it. She could not understand why she even had to fight it. The animal was coming towards her, its teeth ready to rip her throat out and tear her limb from limb. But, as it moved closer it slowly changed, ever so subtly, she knew this was its Territory, it had done this to the land. She could not understand why it would do this. It moved closer, she held out her hand. Ever fiber of her mind was screaming run, but her body was doing otherwise. She was scared out of her mind, but that was it. Her fear was all in her mind. The wolf was mere inches away, she could see it had the taste of blood on its tongue, a hunger in its eyes that could never be tamed. It moved closer, she was ready, for what she did not know. She moved forward and then was violently awoken by a two hands picking her up and throwing her tot he side.

She opened her eyes to see the blacked out face of one of the Queens guards. They had found their camp and were destroying it. She was wide awake now, fully taking in the severity of the situation. It was pitch dark, they had all but snuffed out a few embers from the fire. She yelled in fear. She thought about Joesph, she had hoped he had taken the night watch and had gotten away. She was all but mistaken. "Little one, don't worry!" He yelled back, "They have mistaken us for someone else. Just tell them the truth Ella." She knew what he was doing, but she was unsure if they could get away with it a second time. She would try, "Daddy!" she began to cry, "Daddy!" She was taken by the both arms by two guards and dragged to another spot on the ground. The guards moved so fast she wasn't able to get her footing. Her knees hit every small stone on the ground as they dragged to her another spot. They tossed her and as she hit the ground an audible _umph_ sound was heard. She felt around on the ground and steadied herself on all fours. She hit a soft leather shoe, the guards wore metal armor down to their feet and so she knew it was Josephs foot. She clamored up and wrapped her arms around the man. She could hear the guards circling around them. She tried to stand but was knocked back down to her knees by an unseen guard behind her.

"well, well," came a voice no one could deny, "isn't this sweet. Did we wake you?" she asked mockingly. The Queen approached with two more guards carrying torches. Myra was able to see her mother for the first time in years. She had not changed at all, except that she looked more dangerous than ever. Joesph was the first to speak. Myra was too frighted, frozen in real and undeniable fear, to even blink, let alone speak. "Your majesty, I apologize I did not believe we were intruding upon your land please forgive me. It is only me and my daughter. We are traveling to the other side of the realm to visit family. Please, we beg for your mercy." Joesph stammered to the Queen. The Queen laughed in his face. "Do you think me a fool?" She looked directly at Myra now, "Did you really think you could run from me my dear?" She asked, inquisitively. Myra could see the anger in her eyes, exactly what she was afraid of, "and look, I give you everything, food, shelter, clothes upon your back and you ungrateful little rat and you go and find yourself another family." The Queen said with fire in her eyes, her voice barely holding back an immense amount of rage.

Myra knew her mother well enough to know she was in real danger, Joesph as well. "Mother, please." Myra whispered with a lot of effort. She bowed her head, not wanting to make eye contact with her mother. She couldn't take the way her mother looked at her: loathing, hate, void of any compassion. She wanted so much for her mother to accept her, but in this world, in this life, Myra knew that the cold look her mother had when she looked at her it was not to be. "Please? Please?," her mother repeated back to her, "Please what?" she asked her, not really wanting an answer. "Just let us go." Myra looked up, finding courage somewhere, "You don't want me, what difference will it make if I go?" Myra asked boldly.

Regina was taken a back at this sudden out bust of disrespect. "Don't want you?" she said softly, "Myra why would you ever think that?" she cooed, dangerously. "Come let us go home." She held her arms out for the girl. Myra stayed where she was, although her knees now began to ache, she was still. She did not know what her mother was doing, but she knew it was not good. Another rush of boldness overtook her, "if I come with you, will you leave Joseph and his family alone?" she asked. Myra looked at the man who was beside her. "Of course." she smiled. Myra slowly got up, "Myra" Joesph whispered, "you don't have to do this." Myra, now on her feet, put her hand on his shoulder, "This is for you and your family," she tried to say reassuringly. She forced a smile, "Thank you for trying." She walked towards her mother, "That's a good girl." she mother smiled. With a nod of the Queens head Myra was seized from behind by two guards. Regina turned and proceeded to her carriage. Myra assumed that's where she was going, but she was wrong. " Put her in the transporter, we don't want her getting away again." She said with a wave of her hand, "Oh and him as well."

"No!" Myra screamed, "You promised!" She yelled at her mother "You promised!" Regina spun to look at the screaming child. She smiled and laughed a devilish chuckle. She said nothing as she turned and got into her carriage. Myra was dragged once more to a horse drown carriage that was nothing but a cage on wheels. She fought with all her might from being put into the cage. Kicking and punching and screaming. Then black, one of the guard had hit her over the head. They tossed her in the cage and locked the door. Joesph was made to walk. The guards confiscated the horses and ransacked everything else after the Queens carriage departed, with Myra finally in tow.

Regina sat back in her silk and feather lined carriage. It was black silk with silver, gold, and red stitching in its marvelous embroidery of flowers and various designs. She was tired from the long trip but felt that now she could relax and focus on the more important task at hand.

When Myra awoke she head was throbbing. _How long had I been out _she thought as she held her head in both hands. She squinted her eyes and looked around to get her bearings She was in her mothers chambers. _Why am I in here? _She pushed herself up off the ground so that she was up right; no one was in the room with her, she was alone. Panic began to overtake her. She remembered what happened the last time she was in this very room. She thought that pain would never go away, she couldn't even imagine what her mother had planned for her for running away. She looked out onto the balcony and found that it was midday. The sky was clear and blue. Myra was sure it would be the last sky she ever saw. From behind her the doors to the chamber blew open, Myra did not move for she knew who was walking through those doors. Her breath became shallower and faster; her heart began to pound, she held back the urge to cry although her face said she was about to.

"Well did we have a nice nap?" the Queen asked her sarcasticly. "What do you want from me mother? I don't understand" Myra said with her head hung low. She was tired of playing at whatever game it was the Queen wanted to play. "want from you? What do I want from you?" She asked Myra in tone that suggested Myra should know. "Suffer" said the Queen coldly, "just like I intend to do to everyone else who calls this wretched place home." Myra looked at her mother, tears beginning to form in her eyes, "Mother, please, have I not suffered enough? Have I not done what you have asked?" Myra pleaded, "I only ran because I.." she stopped herself, she couldn't continue, how could she tell her mother she didn't want to be alone anymore, didn't want to be in the dark one moment longer. That she craved to have sun light on her face. She wanted to feel its warmth, she wanted to feel something other than coldness and stone. "You only ran because what?" Regina said sharply "because you wanted your sister, your precious Snow?" she said, "you don't belong to Snow, you belong to me." Regina walked towards the girl, "and don't you forget it." She turned to walk away, "I don't belong to anyone" Myra yelled, "how can I belong to you when you never wanted me to begin with? If that's true than why don't you just do away with and kill me." Regina stopped dead in her tracks. She turned her head and looked over her shoulder at the abomination lying on her floor.

"That would be too easy for you my dear." She said coolly, "You took whatever chance of a life I had outside these palace walls the day you were born. So now I will take yours." She turned to face Myra fully. Regina stood up straight, "Guards," the guards entered and waited for the Queens orders. Regina looked down at Myra and with a commanding and regal tone, "From this day, until your last, I disown you. You are no longer my child, you are hence forth stripped of all titles," Myra looked upon her in horror, "Mother, No, please." she pleaded. "I am not your mother and for your crime of running away, 15 lashes." Myra still could not comprehend what was going on. How could she, just like that not be her mother, it was impossible. "A sentence to be carried out immediately, and then life in prison." Regina walk over and knelt beside the girl, Myra was finding it difficult to breath, she struggled with every breath. She watched as her mother knelt down beside her. Hoping she could see the fear and hurt in Myra's eyes. All the pain and emotion of this ultimate rejection. Regina saw nothing, of course, except a pitiful looking child. "This is a warning dear," and she plunged she hand into Myra's chest. Myra gasped at the sudden pain and pressure as she looked down and seen her mother pull her heart out of her chest. A glowing red heart, Myra's heart. "Don't ever try to runaway from me again or I'll..." and with that she gave the heart a squeeze. Myra was over come with extreme pain that radiated outward from her chest, with each moment it intensified. She grabbed at her chest and then she went to grab at the heart being squeezed right in front of her. "Um, I don't think so" Regina said as she snatched the heart out of Myra's reach. Regina released her grip on Myra's heart. "Lesson learned I hope?" she cooed at Myra who was still catching her breath. Regina stood up. "Take her away." she said coldly and turned toward her vault to place her newly taken heart.

That evening riddle with pain, her back still bleeding from the fresh gashes that now littered her back, she lie on the dungeon floor. Drained of energy, feelings, emotions, her body numb but screaming in agony; she did something she thought she would never do, she called his name. From the shadows came a high pitched cackle, "What can I do you for dearie?"


	8. The Path Not Taken

**As Promised. I revised the last chapter and took out the last part, so you will be reading it again. This way it is just more fluid, and its easier to remember where we last left off. Please enjoy**

Myra laid on the floor motionless, emotionless, she laid in a pool of her own blood that was dripping from her wounds as a river with no end. This was her moment of desperation, she knew her end was near and so wanted to take a leap.

"Rumpelstiltskin?" she asked in a voice that could be barely heard. "Your mommy really did a number on you didn't she deary?" Myra ignored his comment. "I want to make a deal," she rasped "you do deals don't you?" Rumpelstiltskin emerged from the shadows, "Why of course, it is my specialty." He walked closer to Myra. "But what can you give me in return?" he asked in all seriousness. Myra had not thought that far ahead, she didn't even think he would come to her. She thought about what had happened and what had happen during her life since her father died. From somewhere she found tears and let them flow. She was helpless with no way to get out. She had nothing to offer the one man who could help her, who was willing to help her... for a price. One single tear rolled of onto her cheek and just as it was about to fall off the tip of her nose, a glass vial appeared to collect it. "Your price has been paid deary" was all he said as he corked the small glass vial. "What ever will you do with that?" she asked "What I will," she told her, "now, to your deal. Do want to get out of here? Do you want me to poof you to your sisters? Kill your mother perhaps?" he heartedly giggled at the last suggestion.

Myra knew what she wanted, she also knew the price. Her deal would be her death, if Rumpelstiltskin was successful she would be dead. Lying there on the cold, wet, stone ground she told him. "Whatever made my mother the way she is, so cold and unloving, I wish for it to never had happened." Rumple looked at her in perplexed manor. "really?" he asked in a soft, surprised tone, "_that's_ what you want?_" _he could not believe that she would waste her deal on a lost cause as Regina. This of course put a damper on his plan, Regina was supposed to enact the curse, if Danial never dies than the preceding events would never happen. This girl may have destroyed his plans, but destiny could not be changed for what had already happened, it may post pone it, but Danial, would sooner or later die and his plan would be put back into play. This was a hindrance but one he might just be able to live with. "As you wish dearie"

Myra waited for the end to come and welcomed it. Rumpelstiltskin did his magic and the room was filled with silver smoke. He was true to his word, Danial did not die on that fateful night, but he would die.

Myra woke, confused by what had happened. _Why did I wake up? Did the spell not work? What on earth is going on?_ She asked herself. _Where am I?_ Myra looked around and found that she was in a feather bed covered with a soft warm blanket. She looked out around the room just to where she didn't have to move her head. It was a modest log cabin with wooden furniture and various nick-knacks in the shapes of horses, riddle crops, horse blankets, and even a couple of saddles. She could smell the wonderful aroma of bacon being fried and all the sudden her hunger came alive. "Myra." Came a familiar voice, but not with usual bite, it was her mother but not her mother. She had no idea what the hell was going on, _Rumpelstiltskin must be mistaken_. She felt a weight behind her as the bed gave way. Someone pulled the blankets away from her face and leaned down to kiss her cheek. Myra turned quickly and was starring into the smiling face of her mother. Myra had fear in her eyes as her breath hastened. "Myra, dear, whatever is the matter?" her mother asked as the smile disappeared from her face when she seen Myra's fearful one. Regina went to caress Myra's face with her hand to comfort her and Myra flinched. "Myra, tell me whats wrong?" her mother concernedly demanded.

Myra continued to stare into the face of the women who looked like her mother but wasn't the mother she knew. This women had long brown hair, kind eyes, a warm smile, and wore plain clothes. Plus she was lying so near Myra she could feel her body heat, the comforting and soothing tone of her voice made Myra want to cry. This was the mother she had always wanted. Myra began to tear. He could not say anything. If this were a dream she never wanted it to end. Regina seeing her daughter was distraught embraced the girl. Myra feeling this embrace started to cry. It was if the flood gates to her heart were opened and she poured it all out to her mother. "Shh, there there, Myra it's all right I am here, you're safe, shh" Regina whispered in the girls ear as she stroked her head. Myra felt herself go limp in this woman's arms, she felt safe. A feeling she thought she would never feel again. She cried and Regina held her. Myra didn't hear the door open or see who entered through it. She didn't hear her mother acknowledge them or try to explain what was going on. It wasn't until the bed gave way on the other side of her with the introduction of a new weight. A new person. She lifted her blood shot eyes toward her mother, "Myra, darling, look who is home" Regina said as she looked up at the man sitting on the other side of Myra. Myra slowly turned and faced a man she had never seen before. A handsome looking man with light brown hair and a strong jaw.

Myra looked back at her mother who looked back at her. "Myra will you please your father and I what is going on, was it that nightmare again?" she asked concerned. _Father? _ Myra was confused. "Danial," she said to the man, "will you fetch me a cold compress, she is burning up." _Danial? Who was Danial? _

Danial came back with the cold compress, by this time Regina had sat Myra upright in the bed. Regina left as Danial returned to get Myra a goblet of water"Myra, my little one" the man whispered "what's wrong?" he asked as he as he held the compress to her forehead. "I... I ..." she stammered as she stared at him. He was handsome, and familiar, as if she had seen him before. "I just had a very very bad dream. It messed with my sense of reality." She said dropping her eyes to stare at her feet that were still covered by the blanket. "Are you back with us then?" he said "back into the 'real world'" he said jokingly. Myra looked back at him and he was scrunching his face to make her laugh. She let out a giggle "What?!" he exclaimed "This is how I look in the real world!" This time she laughed. "There's the laugh I wanted" and they giggle together.

"Regina, darling, everything is all right now, just a bad dream was all" Danial yelled at Regina. Regina walked back into the bed area, a goblet of water in her hand. The look of relief painted on her face. "Well that one must have been very bad, you looked at us as if you didn't even know us." Myra gave a nervous chuckle "yeah it was pretty intense..." There was a moment of silence then Danial said "Well, those horses are not going to take care of themselves," He stood up, kissed Myra on the forehead "feel better little one," and then walked over to Regina. Myra watched him, he took her face into his hands and gently kissed her for a moment. "I love you" he whispered to her, "I love you too" she whispered back. Regina followed him with her eyes as he walked out the door. Then she turned back towards Myra, "Well come on," she said as she waved her hand motioning for Myra to follow, "We have breakfast to make and it wont make its self." She said with a soft, loving, smile. _I could get used to this _ Myra thought. And she did, she felt that she finally had the relationship with her mother that was meant to be. Unbeknownst to Myra, it was to be short lived.

Myra was loving this new life. It had been almost two weeks since she made the deal with Rumple. She thought it was going to cost her life, but as she grew accustomed to this new life something dawned on her. If she was living this life where her mother married Danial and not the king then surely Myra would never had been born. The fact that she woke up in this alternate universe can only mean one thing: The King is not my father. This revelation unnerved her some. Snow was not really her sister, the king not her father, her father in fact died, her mother obviously didn't know and so believed that the King was her father resulting in the following events. But if her mother were to know the truth surely it would change? Myra thought on this for a while. But, it didn't matter, she had the life she knew she had always wanted and so after a week she pushed it all from her mind and lived happily with her mother and her father.

Myra spent her time divided between her parents. She would help Danial in the stables, feeding the horses, mucking the stalls, even breaking them. She also helped to give lessons to some of the villagers. She also helped Danial draw the horse and buggy to help out the villagers who could not help themselves, moving the harvest, getting them supplies like wheat and barley, even meat. Danial was not much of a hunter but he tried, what he couldn't get for himself he traded in labor. Her parents were so giving to everyone, always a smile on their faces. Her mother was an amazing cook, everyday the cottage smelled of some wonderful concoction she was creating. She tended her own garden so everything was always fresh; some of the village kids even come by to help pick berries or vegetables or whatever else mother was harvesting. No one had a lot of money so bartering was common place. Everyone helping everyone else. It was a life that Myra thought everyone should live. Myra especially enjoyed the time she spent with her mother. They would laugh and giggle, Regina would comb and braid her hair. Being ever so gentle so as not to hurt Myra. All the scars that the Evil Queen inflected were gone, as if they had never happened, the memories remained, but the longer she stayed here the fuzzier they became.

One night, Myra was setting the table, helping her mother prepare a meal for her father. Rabbit stew, with homemade bread and butter, his favorite. Myra had just placed the last plate on the table when a knock came at the door. Myra looked to her mother, startled but the sudden vistor. Regina turned around, meeting Myras gaze, "I wonder who would be call at this hour, Myra don't just stand there, it could be someone in need." Myra walked to the door as Regina removed the stew from the fire to avoid burning it. Myra opened the door, and her face lit up. "It's father, Mother" Myra yelled back to her mother "Father why are you..." She trailed off as Danial, with so much as glanced walked by Myra, as if he didn't even see her. Something felt very off about him, something not right. She opened the door wider to allow him to walk through, as she was about to close the door, a regally dressed women followed behind him. "Sit down" she demanded and her father promptly sat down. "Um... excuse me, miss..." Myra begain to say, but her mother cut her short "Mother?" Regina said inquisitively, then Myra could see panic over take her mother "What... How did you find us?" she demanded. "You are my daughter, did you think I would just let you go so easily?" she asked Regina, she turned to Myra "And who are you girl," she said with a grin. A grin Myra knew to well, it was a dangerous grin. "Myra, come here" he mother told her, she obeyed with out taking her eyes off the women.

"Well, I must say, you have made... well I don't know what to call this" The women said with a befuddled look upon her face as she looked around. Myra looked at her father, "Mother, what is wrong with father?" she whispered to Regina. Regina stood there, not saying anything, she knew something. "So... Myra, I am sure Regina has told you all about me." The women smiled. Myra shook her head 'no'. "Oh Regina, that hurts." The women said as she held her hands over her chest "It really does." To Myra the women looked truly hurt. "Myra, I am your grandmother, Cora." She smiled "I have come to take you and your mother home." "But this is our home." Myra told her, "what have you done to my father?" she demanded "I have seen magic and he is under a spell or something." "Myra. Don't." Her mother told her. "You're right, my child he is, for you see I have his heart." Cora pulled out a glowing red heart, "Regina this is not the life you are meant to have, "Mother what are you doing?" Regina said as she took a few steps forward, putting Myra behind her, "Stop this."

Cora looked at Regina, no emotion displayed on her face, "This is something I would have done a long time ago." She crushed Danial's heart to dust. He convulsed in pain and then fell limp from the chair onto the ground. Myra and Regina both ran to him. He was dead, "Mother how could you!" Regina screamed Myra could not believe her eyes, what was happening, how could this be happening!? "You were not meant to live this life or have his child, you were meant to be Queen and you will be Queen." She said coldly. Cora began walking towards Myra, "Myra!" Regina screamed, "Run!" Myra, taking a moment to comprehend what was going on, finally made it to her feet and began to run to the back door. Myra ran, she made it to the top of a hill and hid behind a tree. Out of breath, she doubled over, trying to catch it. A figure appeared in front of her a puff of red smoke, it was Cora. Cora, still appearing out of thin air, sunk her hand into Myra's chest and once again, Myra's heart was gone She turned and ran back towards the house, running into her mother. Too afraid to even speak, Regina took the lead and placed the girl behind her. Cora stood at the top of the hill, Myra's heart, glowing in her hand, "Mother please, she is of our flesh and blood" Regina pleaded.

Cora paid no attention to Regina's pleas of mercy. Cora began to squeeze, Myra hit the ground in familiar pain. All Regina could do was hold her, Regina looked down at her daughter, riddled in pain, and was helpless. Cora released her grip, Regina did not release her's. She knew her mother was going to kill her child, Danial's child."Now would be the time to say your goodbyes Regina, I cannot let this bastard live." Regina, took the gold band off her left finger and placed it in her daughters hands. "So that you will always have a piece of us wherever you go" she whispered through tears. Myra looked up at her mother, the mother, she had always wanted, she closed her fist around the trinket, "I love you Mother," she whispered. "I love you too, my darling" Cora, seeing that the goodbyes were done squeezed Myra's heart to dust. The last thing Myra saw was her mothers tear riddled face, the last thing she felt was being in the warm embrace of her mothers warm arms, the last thing she heard was her mother say "I love you."

She knew her deal would mean her death, and she died in the arms of her loving mother.

**Don't Worry guys, she makes it to Storybrook remember... I will have another chapter posted sometime today. Promise**


	9. When two lives collide

** Okay, So just in case you were wondering, the tear that Rumple took from Myra was an ingredient that he used in the Curse. It was a tear of pure desperation and true sadness. You see the Evil Queen was desperate to take away Snow's Happy Ending just as she had done, and cause sadness to all those who opposed her, even the innocent bystanders. Yes there was more in that single tear that our beloved Myra wept that also contributed to the curse. Myra was feeling emotions that I could not even begin to try and write to make you feel them, but everything that had happened to her, what she wanted most, and the actual physical pain was transferred into that one single tear. Powerful stuff that the Dark One loves to get his hands on for one reason or another. I am sure you were curious as to what he was going to use it for. So there you go. Mystery solved. Enjoy this next installment... we are back in Storybrook... finally!**

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**Fast Forward to Storybrook the morning the curse was broken by our dear Savior, Emma.**

Amilla was up and about getting ready to go into to work. This was her one day a week that she worked the day shift. She had just gotten out of the shower and walked into her room. She walked over to her closet to put on that days out fit. A simple pink button up polo t-shirt with a long white sleeve underneath it, she also grabbed a pair of gray slacks. Since she was also working at the city hall she had more "professional" attire than she would have liked. She was more a sweatpants and tank top kinda gal. She loved to just lounge around in it, to run in it, to sleep in it. She would work in it too if she could.

Hair still wrapped up in a towel, waiting to be brushed and pulled back into a pony tail, she had just put her pants on and was making her way to the bathroom to do her hair when the phone rang.

"Hello?" she asked. "Hey, Mia, its K. Ahh... listen don't worry about coming in today," He said as if he had just been beaten at scrabble, "We had a water pipe burst last night, the place is flooded, there is no reason to come in. The maintenance guys are still not here yet. So... yeah, just take a day off with pay alright?" He sounded defeated, annoyed, irked, and stressed; hell who wouldn't.

"Are you sure, I can help clean up until the work men get there, I am sure there is something to do." She said sympatheticly. "No, none of the records got ruined, and very little got wet. It's just water everywhere, the carpets are soaked, the basement is under about 3 inches of water. I already moved boxes and what not. Nothing more I can do until the pipe if fixed." He explained. "Okay," she said reluctantly, "but you will call if you need anything right?" she asked. "Of course, I will, okay I will talk to you later." and with that he hung up. She sat on her bed, _hmmm_ she thought _whatever will I do now. _ She looked down at herself, she was dressed and showered, now what, _ I think I will lie back down and take a nap _she smiled to herself. It was a rare occasion she got to sleep in and so was taking full advantage of it. She took of her slacks and hung them back up, the same with her shirt and quickly changed into her sweatpants and a tank top. She brushed her hair in the bathroom and then shook it out. _I suppose I could get some home stuff done _she thought to herself, _I haven't checked the mail in a couple of days._

She went to check what the mailman had brought her today. Her mail man, Earl, was awesome, he brought her mail right to her front door. She opened the door and looked in her mail box. A few letters and a package. The letters were for "current resident" with a letter from her boss at city hall, wishing her a happy birthday. _I don't even know when my _real _birthday is _she thought. She looked at the package. It as a small manilla envelope, it had no return address. _Hmm _she thought _who is this from and what is it? _She wondered. She opened it, it was a small gold band. It was like two small gold stings had been wrapped together and made into a ring. It was a simple thing. "Why would anyone send me this?_" _she wondered aloud. She put the ring on, _Hmmm_ she thought, "it doesn't fit like a ring, maybe its a key chain ring. Is there a note?" she opened the envelope and there was a note.

Amilla, Saw this and thought of you. -Ruby

Walking back to her room, gold ring in her hand, she was hit with a force that knocked her down. She pushed herself up onto her hands. A strong pain, as if someone had gripped her heart, was radiating from her chest through out her body. Her head began to pound and throb as her memories returned to her. In the span of a few seconds she felt all the pain and happiness of a life she was forced to forget. He yelped in pain, she felt the skin on her back break open, the sound of tearing flesh and the warmth of her blood cascading down spine as the memories of her mothers punishment came flooding back. She screamed in pain. Every broken bone, every bruise, every cut, came back at the same time. The pain was over whelming, she screamed until it was too much and she passed out. She lay there, on the floor of her room, the blood beginning to slow upon her back and then stop. The bruises disappearing as fast as they came, bones healing, cuts closing, Amilla, now Myra again, remained passed out on the floor. Unmoving, the ring clenched in her fist.

She awoke several hours later. Her body was stiff and it hurt to move. "Well I guess that much shit happening at once will do that to ya." she said to herself as she put her hands to head, it was still slightly throbbing. She felt something fall from her hand onto her lap. She looked down. She couldn't believe her eyes, it was The Ring. The ring her mother gave to her right before she died. She thought it had been lost when her mother had ripped her from the dungeon and put her in the tower to await the coming curse. She closed her eyes and held the ring close to her face, kissing it. She slowly got up and found a small metal chain to put it on. She was never going to lose this again. Her body ached more than she realized. Her clothes were covered in blood. She ran to the bathroom to see the damage. She took her tank top off and thew it away. She looked at herself in the mirror, all her scars had come back, a constant reminder of her mothers hatred towards her. _Damn her _she thought, _Damn her_. She changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. On her way out the door she grabbed her black North-face Jacket and red knitted hat. There was someone she needed to see, a meeting that was long over due.

She arrived at the cemetery just as the sun was going down. Everyone apparently had gotten there memories back, but no one knew who she was in the Enchanted Forrest. How could they, She avoid everyone she could on the way to the cemetery. Nothing was going to stop this encounter, it had been far too long and she knew that this is where she needed to be, this was where they would be. She walked up to the mausoleum, her mothers crest atop it like a guiding light. She pushed opened the doors and stepped inside. This was it, she had no idea what she was going to say, but she had to see him, she had to see her grandfather. He was the only one who loved her and Regina made him pay _her_ price for _her _use of magic. It was unfair. He never should have had to, it should have been her.

Below, in Regina's cellar, Regina was alerted to someone entering the mausoleum. She quietly moved up the stairs, she could hear a girls voice. _Who the hell is that? _She wondered and continued to listen, to see if they would try and enter her secret chamber.

She walked up and placed her hand on his tomb. "Hey there old man" she said with a half hearted smile. "Sorry I haven't been to see you in a while, I haven't been quite myself the last few years, really the last few decades" she chuckled. "I am so sorry she did this to you."

_Myra, _Regina thought, _How dare she_. Regina stood there and listen to the girl. If she made one move to come down here she would kill her.

"You know, things could have been very different. Mother would have been happy" she said. "How I wish you were here, grandfather, you were the only one she would listen to. I know something wonderful, I want to share with her"

With this conversation, Regina was intrigued. What could she possibly know and why would she want to share it with Regina. Regina wanted nothing to do with the girl.

"I really could use your advice, old man." She paused for a moment unsure what to say next. "It could hurt her," she said "as much as she has hurt me in the past, I now see that somewhere inside of her is a loving and caring person, I have seen it with my own eyes, its why I am torn with either telling her or not." she paused again, she looked up and sighed,

_Seen it? How could she have seen anything? _Regina wondered

"I am not going to tell her. No reason to make her feel as hurt as she may now. Now that she has lost Henry and the whole town wants her locked up. But between you and me, because I know I can trust you to not tell her," she tapped the tomb, "I have seen what her life would have been like if she had wound up with Danial. Oh grandfather she was so happy."

Regina could not believe her ears, _how did she know about Danial?!_

Myra looked down at her feet, "but that came with a price too." she didn't know if she could bring herself to say the next part, "I made a deal with the Dark One, he took a tear in my hour of greatest dispare, it was an ingredient in this curse Mother cast. It also cost me my life in the end. You will not be so happy to hear that Cora, your wife, crushed my heart, moments after she did the same to my father." She smiled, "Yes, grandfather, that's right Danial is my father." She began to tear, "And I will never tell mother, it would kill her, she wouldn't even believe me even if she would consider giving me the time of day." She paused and stared at where her grandfathers face would be. She leaned over onto the tomb, "She hates me you know, for being born. I just wish she would see me as me and some burden. I have always loved her, she is my mother after all. The only one I have. I want to share my magic with her." She stood up straight and began pacing the floor, "I discovered I could control things with my mind, I played with water mostly. It was always moving, always changing, carving its own way to the earth. During this curse I loved the rain, I would stand in it, let it soak me to the bone but feel as if it was giving me a part of itself. I never understood until now."

Regina was speechless. She could not comprehend what was happening, could not believe it. All she could do was just stand there, listening to the daughter she had forsaken.

"I miss you. More than anything, I want to hear your voice again. I know you would share in my life, guide me, as you have always did before. I love you grandfather, you were always there to listen, although you are not here in body I know you are hear in spirit, always listening, always watching over me, and for that I am grateful. Just, watch over mother for a while, she needs you more than I right now." She kissed her fingers and placed the on his tomb. She turned and walked out. She looked up and it had begun to rain. She stepped out into the water and turned her face towards the sky, letting the droplets hit her face. The water glowed where it hit her, she could feel the waters power moving into her, could feel it moving through out her body. She loved every moment of it. Sadness overcame her, it began to rain harder, she would never share this with anyone. She had no one to share it with. As much as she loved her mother, the feeling was not mutual and she accepted it, this is what made her sad. That what she wanted most was never to be. She would walk the earth, carving her own path. She had been alone almost all her life, she was used to it, why should it change now. Sure she had her sister, but her sister didn't even recognize her when she passed her on the street. She would reveal herself of course, but it wouldn't be the same, because Myra was no longer the scared, lost child anymore. She was a survivor with a need for life. No more hiding in the shadows, no more wasted tears on the what-if's and maybe's. She had to be strong for herself.

A calm came over her. She felt as ease, more than she had felt in a lifetime. She walked forward, starting her path on a life that she had decided to live, when from behind her came a voice. "Myra?_" _She turned to see her mother standing in the door way of the mausoleum, "Is it true?" she asked with confusion written on her face. Seeing her mother, the rain came down hard. Myra stared at her mother, remembering all that she had done to her, the rain came down with a stinging speed. It hit Myra on her exposed skin and glowed a bright light blue. It began to cover her in small streams that looked line veins, Regina looked on, not understanding what was happening. Regina took a step toward Myra, as she stepped out into the open it began to hail. Regina quickly jumped back under the protected of the mausoleum.

"What does it matter if it is or not?" Myra asked coldly. It was as if something had taken hold of her, "It doesn't change anything because it is no longer reality," "Myra, please, I have did horrible things to you, things I can never ask forgiveness for. There is nothing that I can say or do to make things right." "You are right mother, there is nothing you can do." The sky opened up, hail mixed with rain, the wind blew with a firecness to blow branches off of nearby trees, "You never wanted me for me, I was a child!" she screamed, "an innocent child. You blamed the wrongs of the world on me, made me suffer for them." she screamed. Lighting struck the ground around Myra. "Myra please, you're right, I was wrong, I see that now." She yelled above the roar of the thunder. "Tell me mother what do you see?" Myra asked "What do you see when you look at me?" she demanded. "I see a hurt, scared, girl who has been wronged her entire life. Who has more love and compassion for those around her than anyone else. I see a child who wants nothing more than to be happy and carefree. Myra I see you." Myra looked at her mother, the thunder and lightning stopped, the hail disappeared and the rain slowed to a light pour, "why now?" she asked inquisitively. "Henry." "Henry? What does he have to do with anything?" "Losing Henry made me want to redeem myself, the hurt I felt losing him is like losing a part of yourself, I can't imagine how you felt that all your life." Regina began walking towards Myra. "I am sorry... for everything, I wish things could have been different, but I was blinded by hate and revenge, you are right its not your fault." Regina was mere feet away from Myra now. "So do I." and with that Myra collapsed to the ground, Regina caught her just as she was about to hit the ground. "I am sorry." Myra whispered. "Don't be. You have done nothing wrong. The fault is all mine." Regina held her as she lost consciousness. "I love you" she whispered, "I have always loved you, I just never allowed myself to." She waved her hand over the girls head with a silver blue light, healing the damage Myra had caused herself in releasing almost her entire magical power abilities at once, the energy required for that much power nearly killed her. Regina, still holding her daughter, disappeared in a puff of deep purple. She reappeared in her vault and gently placed Myra on a small bed she just conjured. She covered her and allowed her to rest, unsure if the damage was already done and beyond her healing abilities. All she could was wait. And wait she did, for Myra to open her eyes. Regina leaned down and kissed the girls forehead, before walking out of the room to figure out how to fix things between her and Henry.


	10. Status Update

So I have had a few ideas come to mind but not sure how they will play in so I am taking Augusts advice and going back to the beginning. I am proof reading it and making little changes here and there. I am only on chapter three so it may take a bit. Nothing too serious is changing to the story line, its the same but different verbage.

-Myra


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